This was another incredible day! As the day before, it was bright and sunny out all day, and warm. After our continental breakfast we walked up to the Abbey for the Easter morning service, which began in the nearby cemetery. It was an excellent service.
|
After the service we grabbed some bread and cheese at the Spar and gulped it down before heading out to meet our boat to Staffa for the afternoon. This was a most incredible trip, especially with the weather being so clear and beautiful. We saw seals on the rocks as we went by, and then watched Staffa grow in our sights. There were guillemots, kittiwakes, grebes, shags, and even a great skua to be seen along the way. |
|
Approaching Staffa was dramatic, as the yawning mouth of Fingal's Cave beckoned to us. It was hard to believe we had lucked into a day when you can get off the boat and go to the cave, but we did! We toured the cave, listening for hints of the sounds of what inspired Mendelsshon, but couldn't hear it. Later we heard from others that it was actually too calm, and the waves weren't crashing enough to hear the same music that you can hear at other times. (An excuse to go back!) |
|
|
|
|
After touring the cave, we talked a bit with the captain about it, and then Wayne and I ran up to the top of the stack to see the puffins. It was the most incredible experience ever! They were within a couple of feet of us, and were carrying on their mating displays (beak clicking, etc.) right in front of us. They seemed extremely friendly. Now I understand why there are so many excellent photographs of puffins. We had a wonderful time.
|
| The trip back was equally wonderful, with sighting of seals and porpoises and lots of birds. It remained great until we stopped to drop off folks at Mull, when a lady fell right after getting off the boat and injured herself. The captain and mate were wonderful with her and got her set up to go to the hospital before we departed back to Iona. |
After our return, we headed up to the Columba Hotel (very near the Abbey) for dinner. We had a very elegant meal in a room almost all to ourselves - there were two tables in our room, and everyone else (all the hotel guests) ate in the next room. It made for a wonderful, private dinner. The food was excellent. Jo had some incredible tablet ice cream - yum!
After dinner, Wayne and I headed back to the abbey for the evening service, which was an interactive service, and was also wonderful.