A rocky ride into Gaunt Bass Rock territory

The wind speed increased suddenly and without any warning. Our destination was Bass Rock, the largest Northern Gunite producing colony in the world. Under the crisp clear morning light, the sparkling blue of the North Sea fueled our adrenaline rush and made us foolishly discount the challenge our ride could present.

Specifically, it was a 12-passenger, twin-engine rigid-hull inflatable boat (RIB)—a solid flatboard powered by two air tubes, lightweight but lightning fast, the kind we usually see in action. – Was. Adventure Movies As soon as we left the harbor, the waves started breaking and it became a rollercoaster with no seat belts.

“Use your feet as anchors,” shouted our captain. Fortunately, the boat suddenly slowed down.

Returning immediately without visiting Bass Rock left us with mixed feelings. But luck was with us. There were seats for the next day. The Scottish Seabird Center moved us accordingly. This time it was a catamaran – bigger, slower, but safer. As we later found out, its height was more suitable for our photographic endeavours.

Bass Rock

Just a few miles from Scotland’s southernmost town of North Berwick is Bass Rock, an ancient volcanic island. In Scottish terms, this island is an island or jetty of approximately three acres. It is characterized by steep and rocky cliffs that reach a height of 107 meters and rise dramatically from the North Sea. Bass Rock is a miniature landscape that has both a promontory and a cliff.

Historically, this island off the east coast of Scotland has been a beacon of resistance. Today it remains uninhabited. Now the island and its castle, church and prison belong to the birds.

Today, the city is best known for its Northern Ghent. Adip, a recent graduate in marine biology, and I planned to visit during summer vacation.

Dive bombers

Northern gannets are impressive seabirds, the only Atlantic species of the three gannet species. They have a simple structure with bright white feathers, black-tipped wings and a golden color on the back.

These seabirds are piscivorous and rarely go ashore except to breed. During this time, gannets form a turquoise blue ring around their enchanting blue eyes. “These are called bridal gantlets,” noted our captain.

Gannets are famous for their nose free fall which can be from a height of up to 70 meters. Gannets dive with their smooth bodies and wings close to the body and folded from the tail. They become a living arrowhead. This is a difficult yoga pose that is impossible for any other bird. They can go to depths between 11 and 60 meters.

Gannets follow fishing boats and dolphins track schooling fish. The freefall of hundreds of gannets and dolphins herding fish near the shores creates a spectacular scene.

Often, the scene attracts sharks and whales, turning it into a feeding frenzy. There was no mass feeding or diving frenzy back then. But we noticed a few gannets diving just off the harbor. They were fast and hard to photograph on camera.

Experience

The next day was foggy. A thick veil of fog covered North Berwick and the surrounding waters. The catamaran glided smoothly through the gentle waves, but anything beyond 20 meters was barely visible.

Bass Rock appeared as a darker mass in the gray wall of fog. Then it got bigger with each passing moment. Its white rock was more noticed. We soon discovered that the “whiteness” of Bass Rock was not due to snow or erosion, but to the sheer number of gannets covering almost every inch of the island.

As we got closer, the sky above filled with rockets. The island itself was full of gannets. They were everywhere, their calls filled the space in the ambiguity of life. Bass Rock seemed like a flying, busy and vibrant metropolis. We were informed that there are currently about 60,000 birds. Bass Rock typically hosts 150,000 birds during peak breeding season.

Gannets are famous for their nose free fall which can be from a height of up to 70 meters. Gannets dive with their smooth, rigid bodies, with wings gathered close to the body and folded back. They become a living arrowhead. This is a difficult yoga pose that is impossible for any other bird. They can go to depths between 11 and 60 meters.

The gannets were surprisingly unperturbed by our presence. They went about their usual business – some soared overhead, some floated. But most of them were busy forming a pair, defending the nesting place or preparing the nest.

There were spectacular breeding displays, some males stretching their long necks vertically, almost vertically over the ground they were defending. Prominent golden heads, striped masks around the face, blue eyes and snow-white bodies shine against the darker rocky cliffs, proclaiming the best genes in them.

While the Gannetts dominated the stage, Bass Rock himself was amazing. The rugged terrain, with its dramatic cliffs and hidden caves, told stories of its own historical significance. In the past, the island housed rabbits, served as a refuge for early Christian hermits, a fortress in troubled times, and even a prison in the 16th century.

Later it was gradually abandoned. At first, puffins settled on grass and soft ground raised for rabbits. Then, slowly, the gannets took over. The grasses have been eroded due to the high secretion of ammonia from the nesting gannets. Soon, topsoil followed. One stubborn invasive plant, tree mistletoe, interfered with Gantt’s growth but was eventually eradicated. Now, the entire island is a bare rock, protected and sheltered by the gauntlets.

We spent about 20 minutes around the island. We did not land because of the risk of contracting the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus that affects gannets. In 2022, a bad break happened. In one day, a drone survey recorded 5,000 dead birds.

“Gantts that have survived a race now have black eyes instead of blue,” explained the captain.

Watching the gannets, I can’t help but think about their adaptive resilience and fragile future. These birds cross the Atlantic, endure harsh conditions, and return to Bass Rock year after year. Their fate is intertwined with us humans. Bass Rock Gannets are a testament to the balance of nature and the constant struggle for survival.