Friday 7th June

On our Ocean Discovery sea safari today we stopped at the island to observe the seals as the tide rose. There were several of them still hauled out – it’s always entertaining watching them try and retreat from the rising water before bowing to the inevitable and getting back in. Seals like to do this gradually – even though they have a thick layer of blubber to protect them from the cold water, it’s still far preferable for them to ease themselves back into the water rather than suddenly rushing in. This is when you see them striking those classic “banana” poses as they keep their extremities dry as long as possible. A good reason to keep a respectful distance! We had a good look for Risso’s dolphins, especially after seeing the tell tale black backed gull snacking on cuttlefish remains, but no luck with fins this afternoon. Seabird sightings included guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, gannets and Manx shearwaters.