Next it was on to Ergol on the Isle of Skye and our rendezvous with the boat Nicola Louise. The boat passed by the Isle of Soay which was purchased in 1946 by author Gavin Maxwell, a naturalist best known for his book Ring of Bright Water. He established a factory to process shark oil from basking sharks but the enterprise was unsuccessful, lasting just three years. We then headed for the Isle of Canna bucking a strong west wind causing lots of spray from the boat. Thankfully I had my rain pants and was wearing fleece as it was chilly! (yes fleece!) We cruised around Canna looking for birds including kittiwakes, puffins, cormorants, guillemots, etc. A quick trip into the small cozy harbor at Canna revealed several yachts moored for the night. There were also tiny wind turbines which probably are used to supply power to the island – inhabitants numbering only 17. An old Catholic Church sits overlooking the harbor making for a picturesque view.
The trip back to Ergol went along the Isle of Rum before we finally disembarked and headed off to our hotel, the Cluanie Inn. A brief stop at the iconic Eilean Donan Castle provided opportunities for photos.