Wildlife, Whisky and Wonderment Ardmore Isles to Oronsay 16 May 25

 

A portly Harbour Seal (along with it’s many family and friends) kept us company all
morning at our sheltered anchorage amongst the Ardmore Isles.

The time of the tide north through the Sound of Islay (between Islay and Jura) meant that we did not have to leave our anchorage until midday - thus a wonderful morning surrounded by the beauty and wildlife of the Ardmore Islands.  Common and Arctic Terns foraging and calling, Red-breasted Mergansers in courtship flights, Harbour Seals loafing and playing (one youngster did a circuit of the bay leaping right out of the water 20+ times - ooh to be so full of life!), a Sea Eagle upset all the other birds as it cruised past, and Great Northern Divers hunted near the boat.  Red Deer along the shoreline and Cuckoos singing to left and right.  Idyllic.

Great Northern Divers hunted near the boat.

A Sea Eagle cruised past then settled on the rocks at the entrance to the anchorage.

Meanwhile we had a long breakfast quickly followed by a long coffee.  Life’s tough. 

At 12.00hrs we lifted the anchor and eased our way out into the Sound of Jura, where our first job was to the recalibrate the compass - in an effort to make the autopilot happy and start working.  This involved performing a series of figures of eight in balletic fashion (the boat, not us). To our great surprise this seemed to work and for the rest of our trip to Oronsay we had a content and working autopilot.  Quite a relief really.

The trip up the Sound of Islay was gorgeous.

At the south end of the Sound is a light on McArthur’s Head

On the right half way along is Feolin ferry landing on Jura, with the ferry just arriving,
 and the Paps behind.

On the left is a series of whisky distilleries - Caol Isla at Port Askaig, followed shortly by Ardnahoe which we didn’t know about (a very new distillery), and the a few minutes later Bunnahabhain distillery came into view.  We were like Pavlov’s dog!

Another half an hour north and we came to our final destination for today - Oronsay.  We anchored in a bay on the south side in glorious sunshine and a stiff enough northerly breeze. This island is beautiful, white sandy beaches, breeding Lapwing and Redshank, singing Skylarks, an ancient priory and a quirky boathouse.  What’s not to like?!

White sandy beaches and the Paps beyond. 

The Priory.  Currently owned by a wealthy American woman (along with the rest of Oronsay), but it was originally founded by John I, Lord of the Isles, sometime between 1325 and 1353. The first monks, Augustinian canons regular from a monastery dedicated to the Holy Cross probably came from Ireland.  
Eejits


Two effigies in the private mortuary chapel, most probably of members of the MacDuffie family.

One of the effigies has the wee fella hiding under the tip of its sword.  
The Priory was the home of a stone monument carving school for
60 years in about the 1500s.

The Boathouse

Inside the boathouse. I wonder if it is an Airbnb?

An absolutely beautiful island. 

Boat bird list is 31 species.  This doesn’t include the Boxie we saw on Oronsay, but does include the Sea Eagle.  Pretty good, egh?!

Our route:











































































































































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