During World War I two troop ships foundered off Islay within a few months of each other in 1918. The American vessel SS Tuscania was torpedoed by German UB-77 on 5 February with the loss of over 160 lives and now lies in deep water 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) west of the Mull of Oa. Then later in the same year, on 6 October HMS Otranto was involved in a collision with HMS Kashmir in heavy seas while convoying troops from New York. Otranto lost steering and drifted towards the West coast of the Rinns. Answering her SOS the destroyer HMS Mounsey attempted to come alongside and managed to rescue over 350 men. Nonetheless, the Otranto was wrecked on the shore near Machir Bay with a total loss of 431 lives.
This monument was erected on the coast of The Oa by the American Red Cross to commemorate the sinking of these two ships. A military cemetery was created at Kilchoman where the dead from both nations in the latter disaster were buried. All but one of the American bodies where later exhumed after the war and returned home... The one that stayed had originally been an Islander from Islay and his family thought it more fitting he remained in his true home.
Tags: war wwI worldwarone greatwar HMS Memorial US American Monument Dead Wardead redcross remembrance Islay coast cliff sea wind landscape landscapephotography scotland rspb ngm ngc longexposure 10stop canon 6d visitscotland commonwealth wargraves wonderlust Oa argyle bute highlands seascape USA Navy Uboat
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The goats on Islay are pretty much running free and fairly Wild and Wooly! Captures this guy roaming about whilst on a walk at the RSPB reserve at Mull of Oa.
Tags: goat islay rspb Oa moore heather coast wild land light photography canon canonphotography sigma wildlifephotography nature naturephotography
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When we got to Ardbeg it was pouring down so the camera stayed in the bag and we just opted for lunch and a wee walk about the shop. But as we drove by later the rain had stopped but the light had gone... but I felt there was still enough ambient light just to get some shots around the distillery so we stopped... Im glad I did as I got a few shots which where just a bit different from the usual distillery shots!
Tags: Ardbeg whiskey scotland japan malt maltwhiskey barley night nightphotography twilight landscape landscapephotography islay jura 10stop canon photography longexposure le seascape tour cask cold late winter
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Having a wonderful few days on Islay and just trying to shoot when it's not raining. Yesterday that meant once it got dark... We where treated to a lovely clear night with the most stars iv ever seen! My first go at night photography like this.
If any of you can advise on settings I'd be really grateful. I found the shots I done at lower ISO's were not as good as the ones at fast ISO's because the slower shutter speed lead to camera shake and short star trails. But at 25600 there is blue pixelations when you zoom in... or is it just that I'm at the limits of camera capabilities!
OK off to enjoy the whisky... prob not post again to im home.
Tags: night nightphotography landscape landscapephotography scotland islay highlands islands argyleandbute lighthouse sea irishsea light stars experiment canon canonphotography ngm ngc
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One thing that is becoming something that I find stereotypical of Islay is abandoned farmhouses and crofts. This is just one of many taken on a dreary... lackluster day of no light!
Tags: islay island scotland moor bleak dull croft farm abandoned space landscape landscapephotography wild wildscotland ngm ngc argyleandbute argyle mood cow
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