Pretty Grim Friday

Started off for Ailsa Craig, but aborted due to sea conditions being worse than forecast. Can't expect passengers to put up with hours of misery (not to mention the other risks) so turned round at Largybeg Point. They seemed grateful that I'd made the decision before they put me in a rowing boat with hardtack and sour water...

Weather slowly improved  through the day, so got an hour out at 1600 with yet another midshipman and his family - this one also loved it, much to Mummy's and Daddy's delight :-)

Pladda, Bennan and Holy Isle

To Pladda and Bennan Head this morning - showery and F4 (W) but enjoyable all the same. Not much wildlife to see, but there's always the scenery.

This afternoon - around Holy Isle and up to Brodick with some more nice folk (we seem only to get nice folk - thanks everyone!) including another potential admiral or two ;-)

And now Daddy wants a RiB too (so we pointed him to RIBnet for "advice" and also the the RYA for tuition).

Birthday Cruise to Ailsa Craig

A little nun-running at lunch time, followed by Tina's birthday (over 21!) tour to Paddy's Milestone.
A bit splashy (south-westerly to westerly F3-F4, seas a bit confused) but great fun - still many puffins and more and more Manx shearwaters. The younger element went up to to the tower - not enough time to get to the top!

Holy Isle and Beyond...

Four gentleman for a one hour jaunt in the drizzle - the youngest was only two and this was his first time on a RiB. I think we have another convert...

Ailsa Craig on a Saturday morning

Just two passengers today - a lassie from Edinburgh who won one of our vouchers at last year's Arran Farmers' Society show and her friend. They'd come over just to do this so we had to go really :-) They enjoyed themselves immensely - so if you're in Edinburgh and someone passes you one of our cards, say hello from us!

We'll be giving away more vouchers at this year's show - Wednesday 11th August. Come and see us on our stand.

Many of the auks (guillemots and razorbills) seem to have left recently; but as the young were jumping into the sea last week they've probably got no reason to hang around now. The puffins seem to be gathering like swallows before departure too...

Nice and swelly with a bit of chop on top on the way back, so we felt we were driving the boat rather than just gliding along. Lovely!

Forgot the camera - until we got back and found it had slid down in the rucksack, so it was there all the time...

Special People...

A one hour jaunt around Holy Isle and into Brodick Bay this afternoon, weather fine and seas friendly. "Summer" has arrived on Arran (see ship photo).
The two youngest passengers seemed to enjoy the "twirly bits" rather than the sight-seeing side of things - but boys will be boys!

This evening a run up to Corrie - several seals (grey, common and wooden) and quite a few porpoise. Young guillemot too. Lots of Manx shearwaters appearing now.

Pladda and Bennan Head this morning -cool but brightening; sea conditions fairly calm, just a bit of left over swell after last night's wind.

Holy Isle and Brodick Bay this evening; sunny, warm and flat calm. Was hooted at by the oil tanker "Summer" in Brodick - an omen, perhaps?

Back from Ailsa Craig again...

...For the 24th time. We all got a bit wet this morning - rain and showers nearly all the way there, but brightened as we approached. Sea state was calm there and back.

Puffins at Ailsa Craig

Dozens of puffins today - I wonder if they're getting ready to leave soon? Also several sightings of porpoise, but no bigger cetaceans.