Wednesday, December 24, 2025
I didn't get to West Terrace until one o'clock, when I spotted a whale far out - and when I overheard someone saying that one or possibly two whales had been breaching in the loch this morning, I thought that was all I was going to see today. However, we were all in for a treat - and Greger drove up at just the right moment to see the action as well.
Saturday, December 20, 2025
Puns are usually tiresome things, but I think I really am going to rue today's visit to Rhue; because, walking down the wet, muddy slope to the lighthouse, I lost concentration and slipped, falling on my left side with my right leg folded under me. This is the leg with the arthritic knee and can't normally be folded like this - cue tremendous pain that made me cry out, and then more pain in my twisted right foot. Oh dear.
Stupidly, I carried on walking down to the lighthouse; it took me ages. I sat on the rocks and had a drink of water, and waited for a whale to make this all worth while. I'd been to Ardmair first and spotted a large black shape, so I knew there was one out there. I could see some dolphin activity, and finally caught a blow.
It doesn't look exactly as wide as it is long - but the whale that surfaced soon after was certainly a humpback.
Another mishap occurred when I bent down to feel my ankle - and dropped my camera on the rocks. It seems okay, however. I then started to make my slow, painful way back up the hill - and a woman coming down towards me suddenly slipped and fell. She got up quickly, fortunately not hurt - and in case she felt awkward I told her I'd just done the same thing. She very kindly asked if she could help me back up to the car park; I thanked her but said I would manage. It took ages, though; and the thought was in my mind: Will I be able to drive? As soon as I got into the car I knew that I could, and I drove home to assess the damage. I'd better rest it tomorrow, and pop over to the medical centre when it reopens on Monday. Blast!
Thursday, December 18, 2025
After a visit to the medical centre to have my "bloods" done, I drove to Ardmair to give the car battery a bit of a charge - and spotted a feeding frenzy of seabirds far out. I headed back and turned along the road to Rhue, walking down a very muddy path to the lighthouse. Before I could get my camera out, a humpback whale broke the surface just out from the rocks. I next picked it up farther out towards the Coigach shore....
....and then managed to catch part of the tail as it came closer and dived just off Isle Martin.
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In the last picture I can just see some auks in the foreground when I click it up - hadn't noticed them before. Today (Thursday) is the eighth day I've been watching the whale - and of course it was here several days before I started. It's certainly brightened up December!
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
It was nice and bright early on, and I was at West Terrace by ten; but I had to wait an hour before I picked up a blow far out and got onto the whale, seemingly heading up the loch.
I was freezing cold by then so I went home for lunch.
In the afternoon I returned and walked about to keep warm, until a heavy shower of rain sent me back to the shelter of my car; but when it had cleared away I spotted a whale and had several sightings between 1pm and 2pm.
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Sunday, December 14, 2025
Friday, December 12, 2025
Sometime earlier this week, Greger clicked on Ullapool Craic's Facebook on his iPad and announced "A humpback whale in Loch Broom"! Trouble was, we were in Edinburgh, visiting the Christmas market, the National Museum of Scotland, and Ikea. We arrived home as the storm began on Tuesday evening, and it wasn't until yesterday midday that I finally got out - but I was lucky, and managed to see the whale from West Terrace. It was far out towards the Summer Isles and impossible to photograph; but through the bins I could see the long, slow roll forwards - it must be huge!
At least one kittiwake was seen among the throng of gulls, and just before I gave up for the day a white-winger came flying steadily up the loch in worsening light and a shower of rain.
The extreme arching of the back as the whale dives again intrigues me; I always think it looks impossible for such a large animal to scrunch itself up. I suppose it doesn't - but just pushes part of its back up beneath the dorsal fin. Or something. I'll look it up.
The boat, being dark and stationary, was useful to focus on before panning sideways in hopes of catching the whale; the whale helped by surfacing very close to the boat!
Expert whale-watchers were aboard, and some excellent photos were taken.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
While scanning the tall tree at the far side of the nursing-home's garden for waxwings, I caught sight of a great spotted woodpecker - not exactly a common bird here.
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