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Brora filmmaker's weird waterfall clip goes viral


By David G Scott

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A Brora filmmaker captured a "once in a lifetime" video clip of a strange sight he witnessed while travelling to Orkney on the Scrabster ferry.

The clip was caught live by Brora-born filmmaker, Robert Aitken, who was on a fact finding trip to Caithness and Orkney as part of a planned film exchange residency.

“I was on the early morning Northlink Ferries service from Scrabster to Stromness resting in the seated lounge area," said Robert.

"After an hour or so we passed the mighty sea stack that is The Old Man of Hoy when I spotted something that looked very unusual. I clambered to the window and hunted for my smartphone. As a filmmaker I always keep it handy for such occasions.

"There was very thick and deep haar, or mist, over Hoy. It covered the very top of the steep cliffs so that you couldn’t see the top of the island. As the ferry moved past the sea stack, what was a thin waterfall seemed to be displaced by the rising misty air. It appeared to be lifting the top of the waterfall and dropping it much further forward of its natural flow down the sandstone cliffs. As soon as I could get a decent view I grabbed a clip with my mobile phone."

Filmmaker Robert Aitken on the ferry from Scrabster to Orkney.
Filmmaker Robert Aitken on the ferry from Scrabster to Orkney.

Robert added: "It’s unusual for the fact that the haar cover at the top of the waterfall is drawing the water away from its natural downward flow creating a sheet of water moving in slow motion over the ancient cliffscape. The tiny seabirds circling around the base of the falls provide a scale to the majestic cliffs behind, providing the backdrop for the drama taking place around it."

Robert posted the short 30-second clip on his Facebook page and within an hour it went viral and has since been shared over 1000 times reaching around 500k people worldwide.

Stourdale Waterfall on Hoy. Heavy mist was lifting the top of the waterfall and dropping it forward of its natural fall zone. Picture: Robert Aitken.
Stourdale Waterfall on Hoy. Heavy mist was lifting the top of the waterfall and dropping it forward of its natural fall zone. Picture: Robert Aitken.

He says the "peedie clip" has done "more for the Orkney tourist industry than any advert" could have done, has received global interest and even been featured on Orkney News. Some people have commented online at how beautiful it is with one describing the phenomena as "a place where the Viking gods play". Another comment describes it as "like something from Kong Island".

"The natural phenomena is something that you would more readily associate with waterfalls in New Zealand but under the right climatic conditions it can even happen on a ferry trip to Orkney. Time to book your tickets," said Robert.

He said that capturing the phenomenon and sharing it proves the "power of smartphone filmmaking", which he happens to teach masterclasses in.

The video and comments can also be seen on Facebook with the hashtag #hoyphenomenon

Apart from smartphone filmmaking classes, Robert also teaches climate action micro-filming and has been seeking a filmmaker in residence opportunity in the far north. His website with contact details can be found at: www.aitken.online

Related article:

North Highland filmmaker seeks residency to inspire environmental feature film


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