It is difficult to select highlights from a recent cruise in the Hebrides, which were nearly all provided by Mother Nature, but two stand out
Near the start of our journey, the boat was followed by a pod of bottlenose dolphins who knew they were putting on a performance as they leapt out of the water in tandem.
Then on the last day, in fact less than an hour before we docked back in Oban, a sea eagle also gave us a
show, albeit it was several hundred feet above our heads, but no less spectacular.
Some parts of Scotland have stayed as they are for hundreds of years, and thank goodness for that, because these were money-can’t-buy moments, among dozens more that we enjoyed on the trip.
We left Oban, bound for Tobermory on Mull for an overnight stop, having been welcomed aboard the Elizabeth G, a six-twin-cabin vessel with a dining deck saloon, where you can chill out and admire the constantly changing view.
Skipper Rob Barlow, deckhand Helen Rickets, and chef Marcin Czaja, would be looking after us for the next six days and taking us to discover hidden treasures, which have remained untouched for centuries.
Our main destination was St Kilda which, weather permitting, we would reach on day three, but before that we sailed north from Tobermory, past Ardnamurchan, across the Minch, and through the Sound of Barra.
It was on this part of the cruise that the dolphins appeared and swam alongside the boat for several knots, putting on a personal show as they gracefully leapt out of the water, synchronised on several occasions.
With a sheltered bay, The Monarch Islands, just off North Uist, were a calm and serene area to spend an overnight stop and reflect on the day’s excitement, with a fair trek to go the next morning to St Kilda.
We were met by an amazing sight as we approached St Kilda, thousands of birds of all shapes and sizes sitting on the cliffs of the main island of the group of three, Hirta.
On the island itself, which is run by a handful of National Trust for Scotland volunteers, there is a fascinating world to absorb with the layout of the former village still recognisable.
Having lived in splendid isolation for thousands of years, the final 36 inhabitants left in 1930, bringing a unique culture to an end.
Three of them returned though, to eternal rest: Finlay John Macdonald, who was buried there in 1989, also married couple Malcolm Macdonald, who died in 1978, and wife Mary, in 2010 – their grave says “together again”.
Several of the houses have been refurbished – one is now a museum – while the church and school have also been preserved.
St Kilda also has one of the world’s largest colonies of gannets, as well as a flock of primitive sheep, which run wild, and thousands of fulmars and puffins.
Today’s visitor is handed a leaflet by a National Trust volunteer, which includes a list of dos and don’ts, and even reading these makes you appreciate that you are in a different world.
Having spent a few hours onshore, it was back to our temporary home and, without exception, we were all in awe at the time spent on what is appropriately promoted as A World Apart.
We remained in the bay overnight and left St Kilda the next morning, but there was still lots to see and plenty time to take it all in, including numerous seabirds, ably identified by our guide, Andy Bennett.
Taransay, our next stop, once featured on the TV show Castaway, but it is now uninhabited apart from some holiday lets, and boasts a shiny, sandy beach and the skeletal remains of a stranded whale.
As we left the next morning, having stayed overnight following an excursion onshore, another one of those exclusive wildlife displays unfolded free of charge as we watched gannets dive-bomb into the water from around 200ft.
They have been known to carry out the procedure as high as 600ft, which must be some sight, and at speeds of 70mph.
Passengers are more than welcome to join skipper Rob on the bridge and I took up the offer after we had left Taransay, which lies just off the Isle of Harris.
The controls of the Elizabeth G were fascinating, with gadgets plotting our course, and engine-checking mechanism which operate every hour just part of an array of instruments.
Rob said: “I have had the boat 10 years, having previously worked in the oil industry as a diver for 19 years. We had a major conversion seven years ago from a multi-use vessel, to what it is today, carrying passengers on excursions to the islands.”
With a sheltered bay in the shelter of the Cuillins of Skye, Soay was a calm and serene location to spend an overnight stop, and it was here that Rob dived for dinner next morning.
He was underwater for around 45 minutes, a few 100 yards away from the anchored boat, and returned with 34 scallops.
Sadly, our last full day beckoned and we sailed south, between Rum and Eigg, into the Sound of Mull where we could see that Tiree, in the distance, was living up to its name, The Sunshine Isle.
Our last anchorage was Ardtornish Bay, where we enjoyed the freshly-caught scallops and settled for our last night onboard what had been a memorable voyage.
And just to complete it, a sea eagle soared overhead near where the Sound of Mull meets Loch Linnhe – a stunning sight and a superb way to say farewell before (reluctantly) rejoining civilisation.
This was a wonderful way to explore a beautiful part of Scotland, and the dynamics that developed between the passengers made it perfect.
THE HOLIDAY
For more information, visit www.hebridescruises.co.uk/wildlife-cruises, and for enquiries and bookings, e-mail info@hebridescruises.co.uk or call 01631 711986.
For more information on St Kilda, visit www.kilda.org.uk, or call NTS Western Isles Manager on 0844 4932237.
Hebrides Cruises operates seven tours of varying lengths; St Kilda Expedition, Magical Mull, Idyllic Islands, St Kilda and Outer Hebrides Wildlife Adventure, Skye and the Small Isles Odyssey, Sealochs and Sunsets, and Far-flung islands.
There is also a six-night Island Malt Whisky Tour, for private charter only, which can be arranged for dates when there are no main cruises taking place.
Tours depart from Oban Harbour, which is well served by public transport and car parking.
The boat, Elizabeth G, comfortably caters for up to 12 guests, in six refurbished cabins, with ample showers and toilets on board, as well as superb meals cooked by a talented chef.
Originally built as a support vessel for the Norwegian fishing fleet, Elizabeth G is now the ultimate in comfort, with stabilisers installed to make the sail as smooth as possible.