A trip to the Puffin Islands

It’s been a full-on fun-filled day - I’ll struggle to get my blip uploaded before midnight

We had to take detours to get to Seahouses - I’ll leave it to you to work out who thought google would know more than I with my local knowledge. But as google didn’t say the road to Alnwick was closed for roadworks we headed off that way then had to make a lengthy detour south to get to A1
Via Newton on the Moor. However we did make it to Seahouses in time to find a parking spot at the distant very full car park, queue to pay, walk to check in with Billy Shields boats and get our wrist bands from the NT - and with heaps of time for James to get bored waiting.

I was apprehensive when I saw how choppy the sea was and it’s a little boat going out for the 3 hour trip to the Farnes. It was quite scary when the boat heaved from one side to the other as it hit the swell. A few people were throwing up but luckily the boys were fine. So were we.

The boat took us right round Staple and Brownstone islands to see the birds and seals from the boat then out to Longstone to see where Grace Darling lived and on to where the Forfarshire ran aground. She and her father rowed out twice to rescue people on a stormy night in 1834.

By the time we got ashore on Inner Farne the sun was out and the sea swell had subsided somewhat. We headed straight to the cliff near the lighthouse as there’s not much space there and it’s a good place to watch the shags and kittiwakes. This year there were fewer shags but more razorbills. The boys were amused that I got bombed by a tern - its nest was close to the path. They were anxious to get closer to the puffin area and loved seeing them scurrying into their burrows with mouthfuls of fish. The allocated hour went by far too quickly. We were back in the harbour in 30 minutes, queued for an ice cream for the boys and crawled down the single lane part of the A1.

Sandy was so happy to see the boys. While #2 daughter was still working I got
changed out of the cold weather gear needed for the open boat and into going out in town clothes. When she logged off we headed into town with her to have a curry at Ury. It was very slow and quiet but tasty and cheaper than Khai Khai next door. #3 daughter joined us after dropping Nathaniel at the theatre. The performance was very well received tonight. More people laughed at the jokes in the first part. It was lovely to see Nathaniel doing his part and he got great applause when he came out for his curtain call.

The downside was the metro was down so we had a long detour to drive daughter back to Whitley Bay then come on home.