Minke last month, with Rum in the background Up to 30 minke whales were spotted recently feeding off Eigg in what has been described as one of the largest gatherings of the species recorded around the Hebrides. The remarkable gathering was witnessed towards the end of last month during a specialist 10-day cetacean research expedition, ‘In Search of Giants’, operated by small-ship cruise operator Hebrides Cruises, which set out from Oban to explore some of Scotland’s most remote waters in search of whales and other marine wildlife. Marine scientist Dr Conor Ryan and guide and crew member Dan Wagstaff estimated that between 20 and 30 minke whales were feeding within a visible area of around a four-mile radius off Eigg. Groups of seven and eight whales were recorded, with further whales feeding in the distance, and multiple sightings from the evening were reported to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s...

Calum Slowther and Sopie at the new sauna on the Portree waterfront at Scorrybreac and new addition to the team – Buddy! Photograph: Willie Urquhart A new waterfront sauna in Portree is seeking to establish itself as more than another visitor attraction, with its founders setting out plans for the business to support community organisations, promote water safety and make sauna use more accessible to local residents. Portree Sauna has recently opened beside the Skye Sailing Club boathouse at Scorrybreac, offering wood-fired sauna sessions overlooking Portree Bay. The venture is a commercial partnership with the sailing club, with the sauna’s site payments lined up to provide a new and significant source of income for the volunteer-led organisation. Angus Ross, representing Skye Sailing Club, said the arrangement offered an opportunity to generate revenue from the club’s facilities while introducing a new group of people to the site. “The sailing club is...

John Laing at Dunvegan car park. Photograph: Willie Urquhart. BY JACKIE MACKENZIE The community of Dunvegan is sending a clear message to Highland Council over its plans for motorhome services in the village – right project, wrong place. Highland Council has put in a planning application to install a black water and fresh water service area for motorhomes and campervans on land within the only public car park in the village. But 14 objections have been lodged against the plan, including from Dunvegan Community Council, on grounds that large motorhomes manoeuvring and queueing to use the facility will create traffic chaos in the small car park. It is already under strain and is the location for the public toilets, EV charging points, the bottle bank and is also the Morrisons grocery collection point. John Laing, chairman of Dunvegan Community Council, told the Free Press: “We need to have motorhome waste...

Members of the crew and volunteers at the Portree RNLI Lifeboat Station take a break from their busy open day last Saturday to line up for the camera. Photograph: Willie Urquhart. BY DANIEL CULLEN Portree RNLI’s annual open day raised more than £25,000 last Saturday, as hundreds of people gathered at the pier for one of the highlights in the community calendar. A total of £25,733.50 had been raised during and in support of the event, with that figure expected to increase further as additional donations come in. The Isle of Skye Pipe Band perform for the large crowd on the pier. Photograph: Willie Urquhart. The open day featured a demonstration by new Portree lifeboat Peter and Mary as the local RNLI waved goodbye to the Stanley Watson Barker 14-16 after three decades of service across the area, with 530 launches and 458 people aided during that time by the...

SWI members Caroline Clouston and Jenny MacKenzie enjoy the spread at last week’s event BY JACKIE MACKENZIE Kyleakin Scottish Women’s Institute on Skye has celebrated a remarkable milestone. Founded in 1926, the local SWI marked its 100th anniversary in Kyleakin Hall last Wednesday afternoon with a centenary exhibition and a social gathering. Members enjoyed a sumptuous spread prepared by local caterer Rhona Coogan, a special cake baked by institute member and expert cake maker Barbara Haigh and bubbly for a toast. The exhibition featured crafting and handiwork and members were able to relive key moments in the group’s history through memorabilia and old photographs which were on display. Margaret Govier, president of Kyleakin SWI and who has been a member for 24 years, said: “We still have the old minute books going back to 1926, all handwritten in those days. During the WW2 years members of the institute were knitting...

Ross MacKenzie hard at work. Photograph: Willie Urquhart. BY JACKIE MACKENZIE Almost 3,000 sheep and lambs went under the hammer at Portree Mart this week, when a young auctioneer with Skye roots made his rostrum debut. Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd sold 2,949 store lambs and feeding sheep on Monday. “It was an excellent sale,” said marts managing director Grant Macpherson. “Prices were very good – better than last year.” Lambs (2,586) averaged £81.97 and sold to £126.00 gross for a pair of Beltex crosses from 2B Penifiler, Portree. Ewes (312) averaged £82.26 and sold to £152.00 gross for a Cheviot from 2 Drumuie, Portree. Gimmers (22) averaged £121.82 and sold to £149.00 gross for a pen of Texel crosses from 4 & 5 Ardmore, Harlosh. Rams (10) averaged £105.10 and sold to £142.00 gross for a pair of Cheviots from North Duntulm, Uig. Feeding sheep (19) sold to £120...