“If you come out of Tobermory and see the orcas, it’s basically like getting a royal flush”
Back in 2020, Britain was in lockdown and computer scientist Jimmy Hall was living in London and wondering what to do with his life. Like many people, he was keen to get out of the city. Unlike most people, his ticket out was studying for a Masters in marine conservation at Exeter.
It was a move that was to change his life. Not only did he meet his fiancée Hannah there – she was also studying marine conservation – but he also effected a major shift in careers. He said: “I hated lockdown but I wouldn’t be where I am now without it.”
The following year, with England now in lockdown #3, Hannah landed a job with the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust on the Isle of Mull. Jimmy, who grew up near Croydon, had never even heard of Mull (population 3,000) but agreed to follow her up. Then he also got a job – as a whale-watching guide.
Already a keen poker player – both online and live – the job tied in perfectly with Jimmy’s passion for wildlife and prowess at the poker tables. From April through to the end of October, Jimmy is mainly afloat on the Atlantic Ocean, leading groups of 80 on Sea Life Mull wildlife tours. During the off-season, he plays poker – travelling to events in England as well as the Irish Open in Dublin. He has qualified for all the Irish Opens he’s played including his first one in 2024 when he qualified for €10 on PokerStars.
He said: “When I first started guiding, I didn’t know what I was doing! My degree was useful for answering questions about conservation, but spotting wildlife? I was a total beginner. Couldn’t even tell the difference between a gannet and a guillemot. Now I’m pretty good at it and known for being very lucky when it comes to sighting killer whales. It’s a question of learning how the water works, knowing when it’s worth waiting around.”
Spotting orcas
Until very recently, John Coe and Aquarius were thought to the only orcas left around Mull and spotting them is still a rare occurrence, even for guides. The two males, both aged around 65, were once part of a 10-strong population but are now the last killer whales in the vicinity. Jimmy said: “The female died in 2016 and, when they did the autopsy, they found over 100 times the toxic level of PCBs in her. It renders them infertile.
“I’ve seen orcas maybe 20-30 times over five years which sounds a lot but I’m out every day. One of our regular visitors had been out with us 16 times and never seen one … until yesterday. If you come out of Tobermory and see the orcas, it’s basically like getting a royal flush.”
It’s not just whales that visitors get to see; the waters around Mull are rich with wildlife including dolphins, porpoise, seals, basking sharks, white-tailed eagles and seabirds.
The Mull home game
Poker also gets a look-in, even on Mull. Jimmy said: “Tobermory is a tiny place – everyone knows everyone – and we have a regular £10 Monday night home game. Usually, it’s just the five of us, playing No Limit: myself, my skipper, the taxi driver, a councillor and a former police sergeant. A chef and a glass blower sometimes join us as well.”
The Irish Open
This year was Jimmy’s third trip to the Irish Open after he qualified on PokerStars yet again. His Irish Open track record is none too shabby either. His two best results were 173rd in the 2024 Main Event for €3,560 and 11th in the JP Poker Masters the following year for €4,900. He said: “My first Main Event was terrifying. I was sitting on a table with players like Dominic Nitsche, Nikolai Mamut, Dominique Souki, Thomas Murphy and a guy who was Estonia’s #2. Somehow, I made it to Day 2 and was 40th in chips with 175 left. I was totally in the zone, headphones on, but then they moved me to the feature table where you can’t wear headphones. I told my mates to tune in but I was out before the stream even started! I was a bit tilted and jammed AQ into Aces and AK. I would have folded normally but all I could think was that Twitch chat was going to crucify me.”
Jimmy then suffered further ignominy later in the day. He said: “I was in another tournament and in the break, they showed a live stream replay – it was me busting from the Main. Awful.”
This year, Jimmy was part of Team Jaka (he signed up to Jaka Coaching last winter) and involved in the Jaka v Simplify Battle of the Coaches challenge. He had two min-cashes – in the Main and Mini. He said: “I normally come to the Irish Open on my own so it was great being part of a team this year.”
Jimmy’s life takes another major turn in July when he and Hannah get married at Glengorm Castle on Mull. He said: “Our landlords own the castle. Then we’re going to Antarctica for our honeymoon. Whale watching of course.”
Next year, it will be the Irish Open once again. He said: “My boss knows I go every year and even when Easter was late April in 2025, he let me go. I wouldn’t want to miss it! It’s the social side of poker that I like … and I love the Irish Open.”
STOP PRESS: In early June, Jimmy had the experience of a lifetime when he saw a new pod of orcas hunting a dolphin.
Jimmy’s incredible drone footage, posted on his Instagram account, was the first time in UK waters that anyone had filmed orcas hunting. It was such a rarity that the story featured on BBC Scotland who interviewed Jimmy and showed his footage.
It’s still unknown where the new pod of orcas have come from.
