A Taste of Summer!

It worked OK last time so I am back.
We had loads of dolphin sightings last year on Misty Isle Boat Trips and I tried to upload a short video. It didn't work very well so I have found some nice photos taken from Misty Isle by ourselves and some of our passengers who kindly sent us their pics. It doesn't matter how often we see the dolphins it is always a great thrill and we are really looking forward to having them back this year.
It's just over a month to the start of the season but at the moment we have snow on the ground. Maybe since we have had the coldest winter on record we will also have the warmest summer!! Here's hoping.
I have been given a couple of dates for "What's On" in the village:
Friday 16th April....Dance to 'Peat Cutters' in aid of Mallaig Lifeboat. 8pm onwards with donations collected at the door.
Saturday 19th June...Elgol Gala Day.
Boat Race, Bouncy Castles,Crofters Olympics(always great fun!) Baking, BBQ,Stalls etc and a dance at night.I will post more details nearer the time.
August 7th...ANDURIL..."Up and coming German Celtic Rock Band inspired by RunRig."
That's all just now.
Keep warm.
Anne
A big thanks to Bob MacMillan of www.skye-birds.com and Stuart for the great dolphin shots.

Winter in Elgol

Iam new to this so please bear with me.I was sitting here watching the latest blizzard hiding my view of Garsbhein when it occurred to me that the new season starts at the end of next month..you can tell I am a glass half full type! Anyway, I just thought it would be nice for people who only get to see our beautiful island in the summer to get a glimpse of what it looks like in winter so I will attempt to post some pictures to give you a taste.
If this actually works I will be back.
I know it is a bit late but Happy New Year to everyone and we look forward to seeing all our old friends and lots of new ones after the 1st April.
All the best.
Anne

Loch Coruisk from the hills above

I have been going through a pile of old photos to try and update the ones I have on my Facebook account. I came across this one which I like which shows a slightly different aerial view of Loch Coruisk as opposed to the more familiar Sgurr na Strigh view that people tend to photograph. This is taken from about as high as I can really get when I am working (if I am to get back down in time to make the hot chocolates!!)

Stuart

Loch Coruisk Rescue Mission!

What a day we had a couploe of weeks ago! The crew of the Misty Isle were involved in 3 separate rescues while we were over at Loch Coruisk - all of them thankfully were less severe than they first appeared!

But the most intense of the rescues involved Little Boy Clue! In case you haven't met him yet, Little Boy Blue is a very special teddy bear - he came to Calum on his first day in hospital at the start of the year and has never left his side for more than about 2 minutes since!!

As you will see from the tiny video clip here, Calum and I were up a hill on that day playing at a cave (ie. a tiny crack in the rock above the Loch Coruisk Memorial Hut!) Later that day, as I was preparing some hot chocolates and we were about to leave to sail back to Elgol, we realised that someone hadn't boarded yet - Little Boy Blue!! And it turned out he had been abandoned right at the back of that cave!!

Anyway, before your heart races too much more with the drama and suspense of it all, let me reassure you that Little Boy Blue was rescued (Glenda was onboard and sprinted up the hill to fetch him). So Calum was able to sleep sound at night, teddy bear cossily cuddled into him after his ordeal.

Misty Isle has a new web site!

As well as being busy getting ready for relaunching the blog I have also been preparing to put the new Misty Isle Boat Trips web site online. Well... the wait is over! It is now uploaded, though still some enhancements and additions to come (and probably plenty of spelling and grammar corrections as they are brought to my attention!). The look as very similar to the old site but the text and images has been altered in many places and there are a few new pages.

I hope you enjoy it and find it to be useful - and keep checking it for additions and updates (especially the photo gallery). The site is at www.mistyisleboattrips.co.uk

Stuart

Dolphin Watch!

We had a lovely day today. This season we have sat on the boat watching bottlenose dolphins in small numbers which is always lovely, but today we had a fairly large gathering of common dolphins with us for a good while both on the way to Loch Coruisk and on the way back to Elgol. So far we have been seeing a lot of wildlife on this stretch of water - bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, minky whales and of course plenty of seals and birds - - to name just a selection off hand!

Back in action - at last!!

Hello there from sunny (at the moment!) Skye!

At long last I have the blog up and running again. There is plenty for oyu to catch up on too! For one thing, I am no longer a 'part time crew' on the Misty Isle - I am the full-time crew! I now work every day with my Dad running folk back and forth from Elgol to Loch Coruisk and giving a bit of a guide on the scenery and wildlife. I have one of the best jobs in the world... actually a girl asked me a couple of weeks ago if she could have my job if I ever needed a few days off. When I kind of laughed of her offer she insisted she would pay me if I'd let her do it! You know you have a good job when someone offers you money to do your job for you!

Lots more to tell but I will leave it to next post. I will keep you up to date more this year!

Stuart

Misty Isle Mailing List

I know that some of you who read the blog have sailed on the Misty Isle boat trip to Loch Coruisk on the Isle of Skye or may be looking to sail with them - if so, it is a truely stunning trip and definately worth your while.

I have been asked by the owners (my Mum and Dad!) to put a wee note on here letting folk know that the season is finished now until they restart for Easter.

I organise an email newsletter for the Misty Isle. We only send out emails about 4 or 5 times a year so you won't be inundated if you sign up! If you want your email address added to the list for these occassional news updates please use the contact form on the Misty Isle Boat Trips web site.

A little video slideshow!

Sorry - it has been AGES since I have posted on here! We have been away here and there and all kinds of things going on. However, I've got a treat for you today! Our friend and next-door neighbour Gavin Mitchell has put together a little video compilation of photos he and his son, Dan, have taken around Elgol, and of the walk between Elgol and Loch Coruisk for use on an exciting new website, "Love To Escape".

Enjoy the footage! You can find more video of the area on the "Elgol The Video" link at Gavin's website "www.wingedisle.com"

Loch Coruisk Blogs are like buses...

There are no new blogs for ages and then... well, you get the picture!

I was working on Dad's boat, the Misty Isle, doing the trips to Loch Coruisk over Friday and Saturday, and it seemed very eventful for only 2 days!

There were the previously mentioned local kids out with us for their last swim of the boat before the holidays ended, and the also-previously-mentioned BBQ, and then on the Friday morning about 5 minutes after folk had dissembarked for the walk to Loch Coruisk, 2 people appeared to let us know that someone had fractured their ankle up by the Loch. They were ferried over on a different boat but in need of help getting from the Loch to the landing steps. It was such a shame for them - half way through their holiday! But though in a lot of pain, she kept smiling and seemed to feel a little better after the ordeal of being half-carried over the rocks was over with and she was sipping a cup of Dad's strong-as-it-gets tea!

The whole incident reminded me why Dad chose to run a real boat-trip experience - staying over at the landing steps for the time people are ashore - rather than simply a ferry service. It's great to be around should something like this happen (and it happens a few times every year) or in case folk need some shelter during a sudden downpour... or simply if people just want an early cup of tea and a chat about the area.

To the lady with the sore ankle - if you're reading this, I hope it is feeling a little better now! (Actually, I still hope it is better even if you're not reading this! :-)

I'll post about this probably tomorrow, but I took the day off work today and went over to Loch Coruisk with Dad then walked back home from there. It was an amazing day of beautiful weather and I took loads of photos so I plan to share a few here on the blog.

Dolphins near Loch Coruisk

No - not dolphins in Loch Coruisk but dolphins very near Loch Coruisk! (From the news this last week the last fresh-water dolphins have just become extinct!)

On Friday night at the Loch Coruisk barbeque (more in the next blog entry) those present were treated to a little dolphin display with a dolphin coming right in to Loch na Cuilce (the sea loch where boats land passengers to give them access to Loch Coruisk). It was a real treat to see that dolphin and an even bigger treat for me to see them in the same area from the boat the next day. I had been working over the weekend - the first time I have been to Coruisk for about 3 weeks so I was beginning to suffer withdrawal symptoms (!) - and while returning to pcik up a group of 6 ladies from Fife (Hello to you if you're reading!) we were suddenly surrounded by bottle-nose dolphins!

It was great! The only thing that wasn't great about it unfortunately was my skill as a photographer! I have never really used manual focus before and the camera just wasn't focusing so wouldn't take the shot. It was a little frustrating (I guess it was because of the heavy rain and the water getting on the lense but would be keen to hear if that would have affected it) but I managed to get a few shots in focus.

You can see a few more of the dolphin photos and a bigger version of this photo at www.mistyisleboattrips.co.uk on the photos section.

Loch Coruisk - Coming to a TV screen near you!

Loch Coruisk - my favourite view in Britain (or anywhere come to think of it!).

Loch Coruisk - "Britain's favourite view"!!

Could this be true? Well, this month ITV are to air a program called "Britain's Favourite View". Here's how it works: 16 contenders were picked from all over Britain to battle it out for the title of "Britain's Favourite View". Each week, beginning on the 12th of August, 4 of the 16 views will be shown with a celebrity talking about why he or she loves that view. There will be a phone vote (no program is complete without one these days!!) to find the winner of that week. On the fifth and final program, the 4 weekly winners will compete for the ultimate title of "Britain's Favourite View".

Loch Coruisk will feature on August 19th's program. The film crew chartered the local boat 'The Misty Isle' (see link to the right) because they wanted the program to have a 'local' feel and to be able to do a bit of a feature and interview with the skipper, Seumas, who has been running trips to Loch Coruisk for 40 years now. Charles Kennedy went across with the folk at Misty Isle Boat Trips and was interviewed at Loch Coruisk. And guess who got to go along to help out while they were filming? Yeah! I even fell on the rocks with a large film crew standing by! Thankfully they didn't have the cameras rolling or I guess I'd be featured on YouTube and You've Been Framed by now!

Anyway, do watch the program! And... VOTE for Loch Coruisk!! It would be great to see them return to Loch Coruisk for the finale - and even better still to see Loch Coruisk receive its rightful title of "Britain's Favourite View"

Coruisk-E-Q!

Well... A BBQ at Loch Coruisk!

On 10th August there is going to be a charity fund-raising Boat Trips & Barbeque at Loch Coruisk, leaving Elgol at 7pm.

The event is planned as a fund-raiser for the "Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers Project" with all money taken going directly to the charity. I guess all that's needed is good weather, and plenty of midge cream!!

Tickets are already dissappearing very quickly (saying this is not just a marketing ploy - they really are!) so if you are interested please do book early to avoid disappointment.

The Misty Isle will sail for Coruisk at around 7pm, returning to Elgol some time around 10.30 - 11pm. As well as the food there will be a few games around for all ages and possible a little music as well, and a raffle. Tickets are £20 per adult and £10 per child.

If you want to come along (and who wouldn't - Loch Coruisk is the ideal place for a family BBQ!) then log onto the Misty Isle Boat Trips website and go to the "Contact" page. Remember to tell them that you found out about the event through the Loch Coruisk Blog!

Doggie Recovery Team!

I managed to convince Jamie to take the weekend off so was out on the boat on Monday. We had a few adventures - not least our doggie recovery!! Try and picture the scene... Imagine if you can the cutest little dog in existence! Now imagine that dog wearing a tiny little life jacket! Now take the picture a step further and imagine there being a handle on the back of his life jacket so he can be carried along! Now that's what I call cute (slightly absurd, but cute!).

We'll call the dog 'Shadow' (real names have been omitted to protect the identity of the dog... actually, I can't remember!!). He had come on board for a brief visit on his way to Loch Coruisk and a few folk were back early for a cup of tea and a rest after their walk. Immediately everyone fell in love with Shadow. They kept joking that they all wanted to keep him.

While we were off the pier briefly to let another boat use the steps Shadow appeared around the steps on his own! The owner shouted to us from his yacht and asked if we could help as Shadow had obviously broken free from the friends who had taken him ashore, and he was a bit worried about him (even with his wee life jacket! A seal could swallow him whole!!). So, when we tied up again to await the return of our passengers, we took on an extra passenger, rescuing Shadow! We delivered her to her owner's yacht.

It was a nice end to the day - the only problem was that I half expected a fight to break out on the Misty Isle - no one wanted to let us give Shadow back and were all keen to take her home!!

Maybe we need to get ourselves a little 'Shadow' for a boat mascott!! Any ideas?

PS - if anyone reading this was on the boat and has a picture of Shadow, I'd love to hear from you as I had forgotten the camera on Monday!!