A British marine biologist’s haven!
Millport, Scotland - Sep 2021
Situated in the Firth of Clyde, just off the coast of mainland Scotland, lies the picturesque Isle of Cumbrae, with the quaint village of Millport at its heart. I arrived on the 10th of September, passing through the lively city of Glasgow. As I reached the charming Marine Research facility at FSC Millport, I exhaled deeply, feeling the stress of crowded train stations and busy city streets melt away. After settling into our accommodation, I didn’t waste a moment. I headed straight for the shoreline, eager to explore and test out my newly purchased, much-loved binoculars.
It wasn’t long before we were handed a packed schedule of seminars, lectures, and field practicals to dive into over the next week. I was bursting with enthusiasm and excitement. Honestly, this trip couldn’t have been better suited for someone like me. With a lifelong fascination for marine life, the idea of an entire week devoted to studying coastal and marine creatures had me buzzing with anticipation. That first night, I could barely fall asleep—not because of the unfamiliar bed, but because I couldn’t stop thinking about the adventure ahead. After a final glance at the clock—1:30 am—I finally drifted off.
On the first morning, we were up bright and early, as our brilliant marine biology professor had reminded us many times, “the life of a marine biologist is dictated by the tides.” I sighed, knowing I’m not a morning person. But to my surprise, that morning I woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Clearly, when it’s something you love, your circadian rhythm takes a backseat. By 5 a.m., we were all emerging from our rooms, exchanging hushed greetings and sleepy nods as we gathered in the corridor.
Once assembled in the courtyard, we made our way down to the shore—an exposed rocky shore, to be precise. The light at that early hour was nothing short of breathtaking. The sun had just risen, casting rays of yellow, orange, and red across the still waters of the Clyde. A delicate veil of fog hovered over the water, like a curtain waiting to reveal the beauty beneath. It was a truly atmospheric start to what would be a brilliant week.
The morning was crisp and sharp, with the sunlight filtering softly through the fog. It wasn’t an overwhelming brightness, but a gentle, diffuse glow. Looking back, I’m not sure if it was the sheer excitement of where we were and the anticipation of the days ahead, or simply the breathtaking beauty of that dawn, but it left an unforgettable impression of pure joy. We followed all Professor Morritt, like a trail of ants down to the shoreline. The reason for the early start quickly became clear as massive shards of rock, usually submerged beneath the water’s surface, were now exposed and scattered along the coast. This marked the site of our first practical. My first thought was, how on earth we were going to conduct scientific sampling in such a challenging environment. The rocky shore was composed of large shards of stone, which, having usually been submerged beneath the tide, were coated in a thick composition of algae which I can testify were slippier than an ice rink to walk across.
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
