Beach Cleaning and Goodbye

Today, we were helping COAST, Community Of Arran Seabed Trust, in Lamlash to clean and record the rubbish we found on the beach. After eating breakfast, we donned our waterproofs and caught the bus from Brodick to Lamlash however we were missing Rob who had to go and rescue Wally after his van refused to start. 

We met Jenny from COAST at the tennis courts in Lamlash, the new offices of the charity where we were able to climb up a ladder to the attic to see amazing views of the Holy Isle across the bay. Jenny explained to us about the "No Take Zone" and the further goals and missions of the charity which has expanded in recent years and is trying to do more to preseve the unique marine life of the island. The No Take Zone was established to protect the fragile seabed by not allowing any marine life to be taken from the area which has allowed wildlife to thrive with larger lobsters having been recorded each year since the zone was created which was the first of its kind in Scotland. As well as this, they have created a Marine Protection Zone which encompassed the waters surrounding the southern half of the island where only sustainable fishing methods can be used.

When Rob and Wally finally arrived, we set off down the beach, armed with bin bags, gloves and litter pickers. After stopping for lunch and catching sight of a pair of otters swimming in the bay we began to clean. Undeterred by the rain showers we spent the next two hours picking up and recording litter of all shapes and sizes. Some of the best finds included a pair of comedy glasses, a makeshift anchor made of a brick in a bottle, and a single abandoned boot. 

Once we had finished our beach clean and had lugged the bags back to the office, we ventured into Lamlash to get some well earned refreshments. Half the group made a pit stop at the Co-op while the rest headed to a local ice cream shop for double scoop cones which were gone in minutes.

A short bus journey and a walk later we were back at the lodge for a highly anticipated meal of fajitas and nachos which was a great success even if the number of wraps was limited. 

Although we are sad to that our time in Arran is coming to an end, it has been an amazing and unforgettable experience despite the midges and the constant threat of being bitten by a tick. We have all loved getting to know each other and many thanks are due to Rob and Wally for all their organisation, encouragement and knowledge that we have benefited immensely from. 

So it is goodbye to Arran tomorrow but we'll definitely be back soon!