Anchorage: Tobermory, Isle of Mull
Position: 56°37.218N, 06°03.696W

We wake in the picturesque setting of Tobermory with the sound of rain hitting the deck outside, but everyone is keen to get back out there to complete our final day of monitoring. A quick stop-off at the pontoons to top up on fuel and water and we head out with excited talk of what the day might hold in store. The rain quickly clears and gives way to probably the sunniest day of the trip. Towing the hydrophone past the Tobermory and Ardmore lighthouses confirms the presence of the elusive harbour porpoise. We head south towards the Treshnish Isles counting basking shark as we go! Mouths are gaping, and that's just us! One of them treats us by swimming underneath our bow leaving us in no doubt of just how enormous they are. Everyone gets last minute photo opportunities of these magnificent animals, although Kia and Gemma suspect one of them is an attention-seeking gannet with a fin attached to its back (cabin fever may be to blame)! We reach the glorious stretch of golden sand at Calgary Bay before turning back to raise our sails to sail back home. Gemma heads straight to the science station to enjoy the engine-free sounds from the hydrophone. French toast for second breakfast courtesy of Tim, and Roddy's delicious mackerel pate on oatcakes are served up to keep us going. We see what are probably the same basking sharks on the way back to Tobermory. With such a great end to the trip, the boat gets a good clean down and then so do we. Cafe Fish serves up our final meal together followed by a toast at the Mish Nish before heading back to Silurian. As the waxing gibbus rises in the sky to mark the end of the trip, I am privileged to have spent 10 days in the company of such excellent people, travelled to some stunning locations and watched our Scottish cetaceans and sharks. Thanks for an awesome trip...hope to see you all again soon!! Gemma
Our wonderful skipper Tim has put together a compilation of his photos and videos from the trip and it's on YouTube for all the world to see!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8GmNk-D9fs