Dear Andy,

I haven't seen a White-tailed Eagle yet, but many others have. I think Mull is one of the nest sites, at least I have heard of farmers receiving compensation for lost lambs due to sea eagles. Regarding otters, we have seen two otters underwater through our glass atKyle of Lochalsh.

Otters are very abundant around Skye. The area I am most familiar with has quite a few. Around the railway pier at Kyle of Lochalsh there are regular sightings of otters as they have learnt to scavenge from the fishing boats, any fish left in the nets are consumed, one fisherman told me that they will knock over stacked boxes to get to the fish in the bottom-most box. They can also climb the vertical pier ladders. Head first on the way up and head first on the way down !! It is not that extraordinary to have the otters climbing up onto fishingboats for tit bits as Portree harbour (North Skye) has also had a regular visitor to the boats.The otters I've seen in Kyle harbour were at 5 pm and 9 pm, they can turn up any time apparently ! The Forestry Commission have created a hide overlooking Kylerhea near Glenelg on the Skye side (South East Skye).

Apart from common, Grey Seals and Otters, Golden Eagles can also be seen, It would be an ideal location for a Sea Eagle too. Whilst I have the time to write I should mention the Porpoises in Broadford Bay. They are regular visitors to the bay and I have known of there visits over a 27 year period. In the last 5 years I have noticed a marked increase in there numbers, last year beingthe most I have ever seen approx 60. Just now (September 1998) we have around 40 - 50. They arrive usually in June although this year they were late and stay through out the summer the numbers reducetowards October-November, but I have still seen stragglers in December and even January last year. After that they go and are not seen again to my knowledge within the bay until June. We have been taking folks out to see them and we have been able to get some pretty good sightings underwater as well.

Cheers for now

Nigel.

September 1998

Dear Andy,

Thanks very much for e-mailed stuff and 'Shorewatch'. I don't know if I told you before or not, but I operate a 12 metre passenger vessel  with UNDERWATER WINDOWS !! The only one in Britain. The vessel is brand new, and I have been taking people to see the Kelp beds round Kyle of Lochalsh since August.
During the month of August we had a pair of Northern Bottle-nosed Whales in Broadford Bay, Isle of Skye.
 

These were almost certainly immature animals as they were only 5.5 to 6 metres long, adults can grow up to 9.5 metres. This species of whale was recently featured in the National Geographic (Aug or Sept issue). The whales created a  lot of interest, bringing people from all over the UK as they are very rare in inshore waters, they normally live off Nova Scotia, and northAtlantic waters. They are probably the deepest diving of all the whales with the ability to dive to over 1,500 metres and can allow over 1 hour betweenbreaths. The whales were very active and breached regularly between 1 and 2 hour periods.
 
 



Northern Bottle-nosed Whales, off Scotland       by Chris Hicks
 

Giving spectacular displays, some of the pictures taken from my boat appeared in the national papers, you might have seen them ? The whales never appeared distressed, although at times they were in alarmingly
shallow water, less than 5 metres. They always returned to deeper water if ever they got too close to the beach. At about week 3-4 we noticed the whales had lost weight and it was pity obvious they were not eating. In the last week their behaviour changed and they started to dissappear for long periods underwater which I interpreted as hunting forays, I am sure hunger encouraged them to move until eventually they left the bay and headed North.  Incidentally we could observe them under water, as they would come right up to our underwater windows.

Cheers for now,

Nigel Smith  EMail: seaprobe@msn.com

SEAPROBE ATLANTIS CRUISES
4 UPPER BREAKISH
ISLE OF SKYE
IV42 8PY

Tel:  01471 822716

Season  April - October

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30 May 1999
Isle of Skye
I saw area of approx' 75 sq. metres (800 sq.ft) with Moon Jellyfish at approx' 6 per sq.metre in ever direction, on Sunday 30th. Saw one Moon Jellyfish at least 18" across! never seen one that size before. Today saw two large Rhizostoma pulmo.  Lying stranded on the shore line a 24" Lion's Mane, all the other Lion's Manes we are seeing are no more than  120 mm (4" to 5") across.
Nigel Smith  EMail: seaprobe@msn.com
 

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