Kildonan Seals

Once I was on the island and settled, and we’d had a wander along the bay in Brodick to the bakers, we decided to take a walk that my parents take quite regularly. For want of a better name, we’ll call it “Kildonan seal spotting”.

Kildonan is a small village on the south east of the island. Going south on the island is interesting. Brodick has a constant flow of walkers, climbers, cyclists, children and golfers, but going south, you get further away from that.

I’m amazed how short a distance it is from Brodick to whiting bay (where my parents are staying), and then whiting bay to Kildonan. Distances took much longer when we were kids. I remember hours on end in the back of the car, all listening to Queen greatest hits, or playing gameboys. It could be that I’ve been in NL for too long, or that the weather is good, but the scenery is encapsulating. It’s great to be back.



As usual with Scottish weather, although it looked shitty an hour ago, now it’s blue skys and we get to look over a small Island (Pladda) and Ailsa Craig. Ailsa Craig is a dome shaped island low on the firth of Clyde. It’s sometimes called “Paddy’s Milestone” because of it’s proximity to Ireland, but we’ll stay in Kildonan just now.

Kildonan is a sleepy little village, with a few houses, a hotel, a campsite and a beautiful view. We are here because a mile’s walk along the rocky beach is where grey seals bask on the rocks. So we walk along the beach, sand, rocks and seaweed. It’s great climbing over the rocks. Memories abound of running around when the biggest disaster that could befall you was a skint knee.



As we walk along, we see two heron’s on the rocks. I’m pretty surprised. Heron’s are common in NL, but they used to be a pretty rare sight in Arran. Now they are two a penny.

Eventually, we get out to a line of rocks which protrude into the sea. At the end of the rocks there are about 15 seals basking on the rocks. First we have a good look at them through the telescope, and see their curious puppy dog like faces, then I decide to move out across the rocks to get some photos. I’ve done this before as a kid. You need to move from rock to rock, but each time you reach a new rock, you have to stay still for a minute or two so that the seals get used to you. If you misjudge it or move too fast, you lose one. It’s like a computer game, you have 15 lives, one wrong footing requiring a reflex wobble, and you lose one.

Eventually I get down as far as the rocks will let me. I’m not close enough for close ups, but I manage to get a few memory shots.



This is the beauty of digital photography. I take a photo of the same seals from every rock in case it’s the closest I get without them moving away.

Each seal who has slid off, then sits in the water with it’s eyes sticking out of the water watching you. They look like overweight slobs, but they will move like cats if they decide you are a threat.