A Scots sea kayaker filmed an incredible encounter with a playful pod of bottlenose dolphins during a recent trip out on Scotland's west coast.
Nick Ray, 57, who is based on the nearby Isle of Mull,was returning from a trip to the Isle of Rum when he spotted the group in the water near Ardnamurchan lighthouse on Sunday.
The experienced kayaker was already filming his journey when he noticed the dolphins were following him along the water.
He captured a 'once in a lifetime' display showing the pod of four or five adults circling and playing in front of him, and swimming underneath him.
Nick said he had never seen the creatures up this close before.
He said: "When I've encountered them in the past they have always swum past me but they've never played like that around the kayak before."
He added: "They don't tend to show an interest, but this time they were swimming underneath me. It was just incredible."
At one point in the six-minute clip, you can see one of the dolphins surface right next to him as he paddles along, while another appears just a foot from the bow.
Nick said that the wonderful display coupled with the location, the warm weather, and the fact the sea was unusually calm around Ardnamurchan Point made for a truly magical encounter.
The outdoor specialist, who runs the Life Afloat blog and recently went on a four-month paddling trip around the coast of Scotland visiting every lifeboat station in the country, said there a few countries in the world that can rival Scotland for the fun coastal activity and encounters like this with incredible wildlife.
He said: "All my kayaking is in Scottish waters and I've no desire to go anywhere else yet, there are still so many places I haven't seen yet.
"It's just an incredible place, you could spend your whole life doing it here and never get bored."
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