The story of Bodach, Palethroat and Pinknose unfolded to Bridget and Don MacCaskill over a period of twelve patient years. Slowly, the wild otters became accustomed to the scent of the humans around their remote Highland sea loch, and the couple were able to observe the habits and behaviour of these beautiful creatures. Cubs are born and grow up with their parents, and the otters regularly encounter other animals, sometimes with amusing results. Whatever the event, Bridget and Don are there with pen and camera, ready to record the details.

On the Swirl of the Tide is a vivid and intimate portrait of the lives of otters in the wild, part of which was shared with the cameras for Central Television's Nature Watch series. The beautiful colour photographs from Don MacCaskill reveal details never before shown, and Bridget's sympathetic writing of the lifestyle and behaviour of these wild creatures is the most enchanting and valid account of otter life since Gavin Maxwell's best seller A Ring of Bright Water. Whereas Maxwell's wonderful account primarily focuses on otters in a domestic setting the otters in this book are truly wild.