Extreme beach cleaning

Over the last 18 months Farmer has been picking up marine plastic/rubbish along the coast below Crackaig back to the Whisky Cave.  He started during lambing in 2019, whilst waiting for a ewe to lamb, and decided to keep doing it.   By the end of last summer he had filled two tonne dumpy bags. This at least stopped it all from blowing around.  The only problem though was how to get it home.  That bit of coast is not accessible by quad bike, and being well over a mile to the nearest point where you can get a quad bike it was not going to be possible to carry it.  

The coastline is too rocky for it to be safe for a boat to come in and get it, so the only other option was to get a helicopter to do it, but goodness knows what that would cost.   So what with everything else going on, we just left it.  In the autumn we went down so that Farmer could replace one of the bags as he was worried about it being to photodegrade in the sun.  

Just before Christmas our prayers were answered when we heard that Skyhook Helicopters (part of island based TSL Construction) were going to be lifting huge quantities of fencing material into place on the Isle of Ulva, and so we contacted them and explained our problem.  They very kindly agreed to move the bags for us when they were doing the Ulva job.

Last weekend we got an email saying they were on their way! Delayed by the weather on Friday, it was nice and calm on Saturday.  

Farmer and I both felt quite emotional seeing the bags being lifted up and taken to the roadside over the hill.  

We are so grateful to Skyhook Helicopters for their kindness in helping us.    For the moment that bit of shoreline is clean, hopefully it will stay that way...

 

Feeding sheep in all weathers

We don't usually get a lot of snow.  In fact this is a lot for us.  The tracks are white and there is a light icing sugar dusting on the hills and fields. 

This morning it was very, very cold, and Farmer was glad of the new insulated sleeves on the handle bars of the quad which keep his hands a bit warmer than Harbro feed bags. 

 

In the air

January has been a mostly pleasant month, with some exceptional calm and cold days.   The island is still in Level 3 whilst the mainland is in Level 4, effectively full lockdown.   Sadly all our mainland guests have had to cancel, but we are allowed island guests and it has been lovely hosting a few locals! 

I have been able to get the drone up in the air a few times. 

Feeding the sheep on the Point

A trip down to Lochbuie to photograph some stone sheep fanks from the air for the small exhibition I am taking part in in March at An Tobar.  This is Lochbuie from above Laggan. 

Kinlochspelve.

Kinlochspelve fank.

I had a job using the drone at Ulva Ferry to film the arrival and unloading of a modular house which is prebuilt in a factory and delivered on site in 5 pieces.  There are a total of 4 houses being built for the Mull and Iona Community Trust.  They are going to be economic to heat and affordable to rent houses for local families.  With wonderful views! 

Loch na Keal, Eorsa with Ben More beyond. 

Toechtamhor in the winter sun. 

Long shadows, mid afternoon over East, Middle and West. 

Aurora season, no 14

We were very lucky to have clear skies the other night, which coincided with some strong solar activity!   It seems like a long time since we had a good display. The arc was very strong and I could see the pillars dancing like net curtains against the dark sky though I couldn't see the colours.  So, so many stars and a bright Milky Way.  Just magical. 

This aurora was the 14th I have recorded since late August when the new aurora season began, and by far the strongest. Some nights a faint colour is recorded on camera but nothing visible to the naked eye. 

When I first started looking for the Northern lights we were at the peak of the 12 year solar cycle, so there was lots of activity and one or two exceptional displays.  For example this one in October 2013, which was very memorable or another in October 2015. The last couple of winters have been fairly quiet.  

This last image is 5 files stitched together to make a panorama.  

 

A new year at last

Happy New Year!  Wishing you all a happy and healthy year ahead. 

What a relief to say goodbye to 2020.  

We always feel so very lucky to live where we do but during 2020 we have felt it even more so, Our lives, whilst also touched by share of loss and difficulty this year, have been here in this beautiful landscape surrounded by an amazing and supportive community.   

Farming life has to go on irrespective of what is happening in the wider world, so at the beginning of lockdown we were about to start lambing and nothing was going to stop the natural process.  And so it was through the summer, our lives directed by the farming calendar and the seasons.  

And in late summer, a brief season of having guests - which was lovely.  Everyone was so appreciative of being able to get away, it made all the extra work worthwhile.   

Then in the autumn it became more difficult - with different areas being locked down, more and more cancellations.   Christmas and New Year is usually one of our busiest times but we had no guests at Christmas and one booking, a couple from Dervaig, for New Year.  The islands of Argyll are Level 3 rather than 4 so it was lovely to welcome island residents, and sad not be able to host those who had booked months ago to be here for Hogmanay. 

We have to hope 2021 will be better for everyone. 

New Year's Day breakfast

New Year's Day walk along the coast

Calgary beach, 2nd January