Loch Dunvegan is home to not only the Clan Macleod’s castle but to important colonies of common seals. 35% of Skye’s total population or 2% of the UK’s population to be more precise. The waters of Loch Dunvegan have hence been designated as a special area of conservation because of the seal population.
The Scottish Canoe Association published in April this year their revised Sea Kayaking Environmental Guidelines and contained in it is paragraph with particular relevance to Loch Dunvegan:
Please be aware that many tour boat owners make a living from taking tourists to look at seal colonies. The seals usually stay put when these boats approach, but often take to the water when kayaks are in the same area. Difficulties arise when kayakers cause the seals to leave their rocks and beaches, to be followed by tour boats with tourists who are disappointed at not seeing the seals hauled out on land and this in turn leaves the tour boat owners annoyed. Try to be aware of the areas where such tour boats operate and take extra care to avoid disturbing the seals.
It’s best to perhaps to consider wisely the impact of getting too close to the seals which haul out on the skerries near to the castle as the seals won’t be best pleased and the boatmen from the castle with their fee paying tourists won’t be either. Remember though everyone has a equal right to enjoying the wildlife of Scotland in a responsible manner.
It would be fair to say that Richard and I weren’t made to feel particularly welcome by arriving by sea kayak in the bay under the castle. Remember though that so long as you keep below the HW mark you are on Crown Estate property and aren’t obliged to pay any sort of fee.
Sometimes just being afloat is the tonic to cure everything? I’ve been suffering from a really bad dose of cold/flu for almost 2 weeks now and have some seriously hard exams I’m attempting to revise for.
I would prefer to be afloat however the reality is I can’t. So here’s some photos by Richard Cree of a very memorable day’s paddling around Soay, nr Skye last year.
Published by Cailean Macleod May 7th, 2009
in Environment.
Formerly known as Kiltraglen however after King James V called into the bay with his fleet of warships in 1540 to muster support from the clans, it became known as Port-an-Righ in Gaelic (literal translation Royal Port). Hence the English version became Portree.
Not far from Portree on the road to Staffin is Skye’s only railway which was built to enable Skye’s only hydro electric station to be built as the cliffs at Bearreraig Bay are too steep for roads. The railway is still functioning today so the Hydro Electric employees can take heavy items up and down from the power station. For the rest of us there’s several hundred steps.
However the steep descent into Bearreraig bay is worth it as there are some interesting geological features to view on the foreshore and marvellous views across to Rona, Raasay and Applecross.
I’m struggling to identify the features in the photos below as geology isn’t my strongest subject, perhaps a reader can shed some light on these features?
Conglomerate rock and harder rocks/boulders?
Looks like a footprint?
Published by Cailean Macleod April 25th, 2009
in Wildlife, The Sea and Paddling.
This sign didn’t put us off. Despite the wind’s best efforts we managed to get afloat and another two trips were completed. Skye’s only railway was visited, sea eagles were spotted (several times) and a good healthy dose of sunshine was soaked up.
Where in Skye?
Another Scottish beach… More trip to ‘do’ Dunvegan and Waternish Points is planned for, later in the year.
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