Day Two of Isle of Skye Trip

June 23, 2012 - I woke up at around 7:30 am to be ready for the day by 9. This is the day that we actually went up and toured Skye, which is an island. I went downstairs after getting ready and made toast for breakfast. We had to get another bus before heading out for the day because of the accident from the day before. Luckily Danny planned a boat trip on the loch that our hostel was located on so we didn't have to wait around for the bus.

The boat trip. When Danny said we were going on a boat with a local fisherman who would show us around, I thought the boat would be nice and we would all just sit around enjoying the view. This definitely was not the case. After waiting for a few minutes on the dock, this old, rickety fishing boat with no seats pulls up. Everyone just kind of stood there not sure what to do. I don't think anyone thought the boat was going to look like THIS. With some encouragement from Danny we all finally got in. The sides of the boat were low and we had to stand the whole time which was freaking me out. With my clumsiness I was afraid I would fall in! Luckily that didn't happen. So the boat trip wasn't actually a trip after all, it was more of a fishing trip in which we didn't really go anywhere besides the water around the hostel. Despite this, the fishing was fun because the local fisherman who was with us, Neil, was very funny and nice. He had a couple of the girls in our group drive the boat and had everyone else throw in the net and pull it back up for scallop fishing. After the net had been in the water for a while, dragging about on the loch floor, we had to bring it back up to see what we caught. When the net was brought back up, there was a huge pile of sea creatures that fell out. Everyone was so excited, grabbing for all these different organisms and taking pictures with them. There were lots of starfish, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and of course scallops. There was also these weird snail things that were huge and the back of their shell looked like an orange. We had to pick out all of the scallops and put them in a bucket. Neil then started picking them up, opening them, cutting out the scallop and offering people to eat them. Almost everyone tried one except for me. I'm not much of a seafood person and I definitely do not like raw things that have just come from the bottom of a loch. No thank you! However, he did take the rest into his little captain's area and came out with them cooked and seasoned. I don't know how a stove top or anything could have fit in that little thing. It is still a mystery as to how he cooked them, but I tried one then and it was actually pretty good. After the scallop fishing, Neil drove the boat over to a floating ball in the loch which he pulled out of the water. A rope was attached to it and attached to the rope was a basket of brown crabs. He put the basket inside the boat and opened it up. We were able to hold these little guys without them snapping their claws at us because Neil clipped their claws. Neil put one on my arm and it just grabbed a hold, hanging out upside down for a few minutes. Despite my hesitation about the boat ride at first, it was actually really enjoyable.

The crappy boat

Neil!

Everyone pulling up the net (except me)

Everything that was in the net

Scallops!

Cute little hermit crab

These starfish were so cool looking!

Brown Crabs

Skye.  

After the boat trip we loaded on to our new bus which came with a driver. It was weird not having Danny drive us around but I'm sure he was glad to get a break. Skye was only about 20 minutes away from the hostel so it wasn't long until our first stop. We had to drive over a bridge to get to Skye because it is an island. The bridge wasn't built that long ago and for about ten years there was a really expensive toll on it. The only way you didn't have to pay it was if you had livestock to carry to and from the island. They finally got rid of the toll because people would just take a single sheep or something like that and throw it in the back of their car, saying they had livestock.

First stop - Caisteal Maol ruins in Kyleakin. The first stop we had in Skye was a view of the Caisteal Maol ruins in Kyleakin. This was Saucy Mary's castle. Mary was a Norse princess (during the time of the vikings) who's father gave her her own castle because he didn't know what to do with her. The castle was located by a channel that ships would pass through to get to the mainland. She was very lonely so she would try to get the attention of the ships passing by. She could never get anyone's attention so she decided to charge a toll to any boat using the narrow channel by hanging a chain from the castle to the mainland to prevent unpaid crossings. She was finally able to talk to some of the people on the ships and was kept busy  collecting tolls. However, the vikings realized that there was another route they could take so they didn't have to pay a toll. Less and less ships sailed by leaving Mary feeling alone again. She came up with a new plan to get people to stay. So after hatching a new plan, the next ship that came by Mary collected the man's toll and told him to wait there and she would go get his change. The guy waited there then looked up when Mary shouted from atop the tower of the castle. Apparently, Mary would show her ta ta's to the men and her planned work. The rumor started to spread and men would sail that way just to see some action. That is how she got her nickname Saucy Mary.

Many things in this town are named after Saucy Mary

Saucy Mary's Castle Ruins

The Bridge

Second stop - "fountain of youth." Our next stop was at this little stream area where we all sat down on rocks and listened to Danny tell us some traditional Scottish tales. There was one tale about two giants and another about fairies. Supposedly there are fairies at the place where we stopped and they are really rude, trying to steal from humans. However, there is one thing that we can take from them, which is the water in the stream. It is supposed to have the power to give you youth if you stick your face in it. Danny demonstrated this and when he came back he said, "well I think I'm looking pretty good for 53" (he is clearly in his late 20s/early 30s). 

Right as Danny was demonstrating this, it stared pouring rain. Even with rain boots, a rain coat, and an umbrella I got soaking wet running to the bus. 

Danny just being...Danny

Third stop - Broadford. We stopped here for a quick lunch. Kyle and I went to a cafe. I had delicious macaroni and cheese with chips (french fries) and a salad. Apparently macaroni is big here and they do make some of the best macaroni I have ever had.

Fourth stop - Creag an Fheilidh (Kilt Rock). We stopped here to take some pictures of the beautiful landscape and the creepy bagpipe guy who wanted steal my soul.

So creepy...

Fifth stop - Cuith-Raing. This was probably the most beautiful place of the trip. It seemed like we went to the highest point of the island and the view was incredible. We were so high up that clouds were not that far off the ground in some areas. There were sheep that weren't fenced in and I really wished I could go play with them. But I figured that wasn't the best idea.

After Cuith Raing we drove all through the big hills back to Stromeferry. Along the way Danny told us some history and stories. We stopped for a bathroom break in a little town that had a brewery. We went into the gift shop and Kyle bought a bottle of cider that we shared. It was actually really good! Danny also stopped to pick us up some fish and chips for dinner. When we got back home we ate dinner together as a group and then sat around a campfire made inside a wheelbarrow. We were visited by an adorable German Shepard who was quite fond of Kyle.