Otterly Wonderful Day

For a day that started in disappointment, with a boat trip to Canna cancelled because some folk had dropped out because it might be cold, it turned into a bit of a belter.

We headed to Rubha Ardnish, just by Broadford, with the promise of great birdlife. It looked an uninspiring start, but the coastline rocks were really interesting. The birds didn't really appears (save a whimbrel and some golden plovers), but seals were out basking, and the view back to the whited out Red Hills was stunning. 

And then we saw the otters. A couple of distant spots were fab anyway, with one entertaining us for a good 5-10 minutes rolling about in the seaweed. But walking back, almost back to the start of the walk, with the wind picking up, and both of us starting to feel the cold despite the blue sky, I glanced to the right, and there he was.... Eating a giant fish, just 30 yards or so from us, and totally oblivious to our presence.

I was actually able to move around a little to get a tiny bit closer (not too close, didn't want to spook him) and to the side, rather than watching his backside the whole time. He moved a couple of times, and with the last move taking him a little further away I stood up and rejoined Mel, only for her to notice a second otter swimming towards the shore. This one knew we were there, but seemed on the inquisitive side of nervous, and popped up a few times near to us, squeaking either displeasure or a warning or just an otterly 'what the hell are you?'

The two then did their own thing near to each other - otter one continuing to chow down, while otter two acted the goat, rolling about in the seaweed, and contemplating (but never actually) pouncing on otter one. We left them to it when otter one finally realised we were there (I'd moved for another better angle), with ice cold hands and cheery grins.

Time to grab the tripod from the house to go and see the Spar Cave, but sadly the entrance, only accessible for an hour or so either side of low tide, was subject to a particularly high low tide (if you see what I mean), about 1.5m higher than low tide got down to at the start of the week, and without mountaineering there was no real safe way in.

We'll be back (Mel is keen to come back here for a full two weeks next year), so the cave can be nabbed then. In the meantime, it's time to head to Broadford for pizza (never cook the night before we leave), and tomorrow head further west to Lewis....