Under the stars with Matt Gaw in Arinagour, Island of Coll

I discovered the hebridean Island of Coll while reading Matt Gaw's Under the Stars. I´m giving here a small excerpt of his adventures.

Gaw stayed with his family in Arinagour, the wonderfully named main town, and from there he made night excursions watching the skies.

The treck to the beach near Arnabost, on the machair *.

The greatest revelation comes after a family excursion in the night, crossing the island till the west coast seaside near Arnabost. Suddenly...

"It is the first time too that they have seen the Milky Way. They gasp at its spray of light , and wrestle with the idea of how they can see the galaxy they are in. We try describing it together. Milk spray. Frost. Mould. Sea foam. Salt stains."

"Then the shooting stars begin. I hadn't told the children I was hoping to see Orionids as I didn't want them to be disappointed, but now they ahoop and holler at every flaring dusty streak. Red lights. A tinge of gassy green. We fall silent  between each one and I will the kids to stay interested. In my head I tell them, hold your nerve and let the night take you."

(...) "I think of all the nights I've walked in. The snow, the cloud, the clear skies, moonlight and murk, starfall and dayrise. Each night, whether it contained happiness, wonder, fear or frustration, has been unique; each experience has shown me darkness on a different light."

Great book.

Night falls in Arinagour

One day soon I'll post about the Island of Coll.

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(*) The machair is a low sandy plain formed mainly of seashells and supporting grass cover, often part of a dune system.