The Summer Isles and the Arch of Tanera Beg

When I awoke, a steady breeze was blowing onshore from the south. The channel between the mainland and the Summer Isles looked quite peaceful so I blew up my boat and set off on the crossing to Tanera Mor



I took this photograph looking back to the mainland from mid channel. The white houses of Polbain stood out against the dark hillside which was still in early morning shadow.



I then headed down the channel between Tanera Mor and Tanera Beg. I was now heading straight into the wind and waves which splashed over the front of the inflatable. Although I got a little damp I wasn’t too concerned. I was heading for the sandstone arch on the south east side of Tanera Beag. Nearing the rocky point where the arch was, the water looked quite choppy on the exposed south side.



The chop soon had me bouncing about like a little cork when I cleared the island to get a good view of the arch. In fact I started to worry a little as this was the biggest waves I had been in. I waited for a wide trough between them before turning the boat.



I took around a dozen photos of the arch to make sure I got a decent shot that wouldn’t be blurred by the movement of the boat. I’m glad I did as I only got a couple of sharp pictures.



I wasn’t going to attempt entering the arch in case the boat burst on the rocks in the swell. I only had seconds to get my photos as the wind and waves quickly swept me back into the channel.



There was a little sheltered bay in the channel not far from the arch so I pulled over and landed. It was safer to see the arch from the land than by the sea.



I climbed to the highest point on the south of Tanera Beg and looked over the sea to the further away Summer Isles



I knew it would be foolish to even think of crossing that part of the sea so I happily used the zoom lens to get my photographs of Priest Island



Then I used the wide angle lens to capture the sea arch from the landward side.