North Eastern Atlantic

West of the Outer Hebrides, open Atlantic waters surround the remote islands of St Kilda. Hirta, the largest, has a small sheltered bay beneath high cliffs, while neighbouring Boreray and sea stacks provide nesting places for seabirds. Martin Martin visited in 1697 and recorded the life of the islanders, who gathered birds and eggs as well as farming and fishing. Rough weather could make the crossing to the Hebrides difficult.