PUFFINS!

The weather cooperated and we got to sail out to Straffa, an isle where the puffins live. And puffins LOVE tourists because all those people keep away the nasty predator birds eager to snack on puffins. Happy to be part of the system! They are so cute and they were so close!!

The approach to the island is smooth enough, but the rocks are other worldly. I was not interested in going to Fingal’s Cave; I wanted to spend my hour looking at puffins. Since I had to scale the cliff to get up there it was a wise choice. You can see the ladder photos. I only realized the height once I got to the top and remembered I’d have to go DOWN! Spoiler alert I turned round and went down backwards. Easy peasy.

“Prepare to be amazed.” said an Aussie heading back to the boat after his turn viewing puffins. He was not wrong. It was amazing. At the top of the island you can sit in the grass above their nesting cliff, and watch the puffins fly in. They have floppy orange feet that dangle as they cruise in. It’s hilarious. And they seem to eye you as they come in. I see you they say, Thanks for protecting my babies. I sat for half an hour. Yes, I took pictures and even a few videos. But I bought a kids book of photos to have good shots of the critters. That’s the photo in the last row, I snapped a shot from the book.

Such a magical afternoon. As on Iona, nature was close, so close I could almost touch a puffin. They made my face hurt from smiling.