Just off the coast of Scotland, located close to longitude -5.931391200000001 and latitude 56.5641092, is the stunning Isle of Mull. As with much of Scotland, Mull is steeped in tradition, local tales, and folklore, one of the most famous of which is ‘The Silkie of Sule Skerry’. This romantic and tragic tale speaks of the Silkies, seal creatures who could shed their skin and take on a human form. In this story, a young maiden falls in love with a handsome stranger who frequently leaves her alone. Unbeknownst to her, her mysterious lover is in fact a silkie. She discovers a seal skin hidden away and, realizing who he really is, hides the skin to keep him with her. They live together happily for some years, having a baby boy in the process. However, one day, their son finds the hidden skin and brings it to his father, who is then compelled to return to his life in the sea, leaving his family behind. The legend of the silkie is a poignant reminder of the deep, complex relationship the people of Mull have with the sea; it is an entity that both gives and takes, producing a rich bounty, but also defining the isolation of island life. The local folk of this island still recount this story with a heart-wrenching mix of love, loss, and a mystical respect for the creatures of the deep blue sea.