When Hebridean boat tour operator Sea Harris announced earlier this year that they would be launching sailing trips on their new RIB boat to some of the smaller islands of the Outer Hebrides, I knew I wanted to be on board.
What I didn’t expect was to be one of only eight passengers on Pabbay’s maiden voyage to the Shiant Isles last month!
Having already sailed to the remote islands of St Kilda with Sea Harris back in 2014, I wasn’t expecting the Shiants, just a few miles off the coast of the Isle of Lewis, to be quite as impressive. In the end, the journey was equally as good, and my expectations were blown out of the water.
I don’t want to give away too much, as there will be a full blog post on these islands coming very soon, but in the meantime, here’s a video sneak peek of what you can experience on a boat trip to the Shiant Isles!
Soundtrack: Co-Thrath, by Tide Lines (one of my favourite bands!), available on iTunes, and Spotify.
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After watching the video, would you like to visit the Shiant Isles? Have you been before?
Let me know in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you!
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Want to read more?
An Afternoon Sail to the Shiants with Sea Harris
Exploring St Kilda, the Islands at the Edge of the World
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My first holiday on Lewis I lived in a place in the South Lochs, with views to the Shiants. With every change of light I ran outside – it was to cold to sit there all the time – and took a photo. In bright light, in fog, half disappearing, with sharp shadows, in very soft light, with Skye clear or disappearing behind it, with dark clouds towering over it – every single time I looked at the Shiants they were different. So for me the Shiants are very nuch about all the appearances the Hebrides can have; and the amazing light there.
Everything you say is absolutely true, Marleen! I’ve written about it a bit in my upcoming blog post, but as you say the Shiants really are a good example of the ever-changing light in the Hebrides. It was quite the experience to finally see them up close, after seeing them as an almost-mirage on the horizon for so long!
Great video! Love the song too,
xx
Thanks Cathy! I think you’d have loved it – we saw so many different kinds of wildlife (and thousands upon thousands of birds!) xx
I very, very much want to travel to the Outer Hebrides one day! xx
rhymeandribbons.com
It’s a beautiful part of the world. I hope you get to visit sometime! x
Oh I had never heard about these islands! Off to google now 🙂
They’re definitely somewhere to add to your Scottish bucket list! 🙂
Thank you so much for the video.. I had never heard of the Shiants. Myy mother, father, oldest brother all came to America in the late 1920’s and I was raised very Scottish and was lucky enough to visit ther I fels if essach peron I met looked as though they could be my cousins. I am quite old now, and know I won’t make anothe r trip, but I thank God for allowing me to visit and see my heiritage first hand. It was absolutely marvelous to see the land of my parents, brother and ancestors. May God keep you in the palm of his hands.
With love and thanks, Margaret McNair) Leafgren
Thank you for your comment, Margaret 🙂 I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the video, and that you were able to visit where your family came from.