We’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather

Storm Ali did not really effect Sleat  as we caught the edge of it and in truth the winds were no worse that many we have throughout the year.  The Sound quickly became churned up with its customary short, breaking waves and the wind gusts creating their dark spiralling patterns on the surface of the water.  For much of this time the Isle of Eigg was not in view hidden by either low cloud or curtains of rain.  The sky was an unbroken blanket of grey cloud.  It was a period of time that showed a raw side of nature and the weather.  All mono tones but with an agressive sound track provided by crashing waves and gusting winds.

As the storm moved on the blanket cloud began to break, replaced by a different form of storm clouds; many formed as the moist Atlantic air rose over the land mass on the Small Isles.  The rain showers were still frequent and heavy but the wind was rapidly dropping and the the Sound of Sleat was returning to calm and silence.

At the end of the day, whilst cooking, a bright spotlight of sun shone upwards through the cloud as the sun sank behind the headland and the Isle of Rum behind.  It was the opening of a 15 minute spectaular light show provided by Nature.

I have tried to capture some of what the light was like on the horizon but also using a zoom lens provided a sequence of images created from smaller areas of cloud that just reflected the light so well.  There are no colour filters used in any of the images.  All the images used a little under exposure, contrast and a graduated  natural density filter to hightlight the evening spectacular.

Storm clouds and evening sunshire is truly a potent and awe inspiring combination.