Hamilton Norman’s close encounter with a minke whale

Jul 17 2008 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

Norman’s close encounter with a minke whale

A HAMILTON yachtsman had an unsettling encounter with a whale last month off the north-west coast of Scotland.

While sailing in the Sound of Sleat between the Isle of Skye and the mainland, a curious minke whale came within less than a metre of Norman Inglis’ sloop.

The whales, who migrate to Hebridean waters in the summer months to feed, measure around nine metres in length, weigh around nine tonnes, and can reach speeds of 20 to 30kph.

Norman – who has been a photographer with the Advertiser for 31 years – was accompanied by friend Neil MacFarlane from Motherwell.

They had been an hour out of Mallaig, and were travelling to Kyleakin under engine power, when the incident happened.

“We heard the whale blow and saw it in the distance about 200 metres away. With binoculars we could see it surfacing and blowing,” explained 52-year-old Norman.

“It went under the water and for five minutes we didn’t see it.

“All of a sudden there was the sound of the whale blowing right next to the boat, less than a metre away.”

“It was clearly interested in the boat, and was swimming parallel to it.

“It didn’t make contact, but the boat rocked in the whale’s wake as it went past.”

At that point, however, the men’s excitement over the marine encounter was replaced by fear.

“There are accounts of whales having capsized boats; I was acutely aware the animal was the size of the boat itself, was heavier, and had power to overturn it,” Norman said.

“Nervous would be a good way to describe how I felt. I was thinking if the whale did make contact with the boat it could capsize.

“I have had encounters with dolphins playing ‘chicken’ in front of the boat in Scottish waters and have seen whales, including an Orca, in the distance before but nothing like this.

“Initially it was an exciting experience, but it quickly turned to apprehension. It’s not something I’d like to repeat.”

The Isle of Mull-based Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust pointed out this week that minke whales have a inquisitive nature and this kind of behaviour is not unusual.

“There have been reports of large whales causing difficulties to sailors in small boats in other parts of the world, but there has certainly been nothing in Hebridean waters,” commented the trust’s biodiversity officer Susannah Calderan.

“Minke whales are very curious and will surface up and down the side of a boat. They may even move over on their side to get a look at a vessel.

“This behaviour is quite typical, thought I can understand why sailors could be unnerved.”