As a mad last minute decision I booked myself on a flight from Southampton to Belfast with the main aim of seeing some puffins.
About an hours drive from Belfast City Airport I arrived at Ballycastle, a lovely little seaside resort with sandy beaches, ancient ruins and a quaint harbour. From here I opted to book a boat excursion with Kintra boat tours, listed as the Puffins, Seals and Lighthouse tours. I opted for this rather than the ferry to Raithlin as it would provide a better view of the nesting sites on the sea cliff.
It didn’t disappoint. Kintra, headed out of Ballycastle and although a bit bumpy at times was a comfortable ride. The first wildlife sightings were of lines of Gannets. The weather cleared briefly offering a view of the Scottish coast. Approaching Raithlin we past the first lighthouse and on the shoreline nearby were many seals lazing on the rocks.
Passing the headland we then saw and heard the seabirds. There was a huge variety and it wasn’t to long before we sited puffins. A combination of a moving boat, a heavy 600mm lens and little puffin that seem unable to keep still added a degree of challenge.
The captain of Kintra 1 slowed and turned through boat slowly allowing all on board to get superb views. After a short time we headed back past the other lighthouses and more snoozing seals before returning to Ballycastle.
From there I took a short drive to the Giants Causeway, impressive in its own right, but the ruggedness and abundance of wildlife made Raithlin Island the real winner for me.
My next puffin quest involves a trip to the Westman islands in Iceland this summer.
