About Atlantic Puffin Locations

It seems to me that despite the numbers of puffins on Machias Seal Island, it is in fact a bad place to shoot puffins well. From what I hear the blinds are cramped and the light is always harsh due to the time of day that visitors are allowed on the island.

Some of the best puffin images I've seen are from either Iceland or some European locations. Icelandic Puffins are supposedly tame.

My question is this: Does a location exist, perhaps in eastern Canada, where puffins can be photographed and the photographer is not limited by the time of day(light) or required to cram oneself into a blind to shoot at midday with the birds standing on rocks?

Thanks

PS Oh, yeah, any comments on scheduling (i.e. best time of year) pertaining to a location is also appreciated

E.J. and Greg have some killer puffin images from a trip to Alaska 2 - 3 years ago. I don't remember the details of where they went, but I was really impressed with their work.

Maybe one of them will chime in or you might come up with something in a search.

jn

Jim Neely wrote:E.J. and Greg have some killer puffin images from a trip to Alaska 2 - 3 years ago. I don't remember the details of where they went, but I was really impressed with their work.

Maybe one of them will chime in or you might come up with something in a search.

jn

I know Greg has some great Puffin images from St. Paul Island in Alaska.....

Scott Linstead wrote:It seems to me that despite the numbers of puffins on Machias Seal Island, it is in fact a bad place to shoot puffins well. From what I hear the blinds are cramped and the light is always harsh due to the time of day that visitors are allowed on the island.

My question is this: Does a location exist, perhaps in eastern Canada, where puffins can be photographed and the photographer is not limited by the time of day(light) or required to cram oneself into a blind to shoot at midday with the birds standing on rocks?

I have photographed on Machias Island a few times and it really is not the best place to photograph Puffins well. Cons include limited time (maybe 45 minutes to 1 hour if you're fortunate), bad lighting in the afternoon, too many Puffins, cramped blinds and/or too many people in a blind.

On Machias you have 2 options. One is to go on the island and shoot from the blinds or get into a small boat and go around the perimeter of the island. I sometimes wonder if it wouldn't be better just to go around the island and photograph puffins from that perspective. From the blinds you'll be shooting out to sea with lots of sky.

The boat from Grand Manan leaves either in the morning or in the early afternoon depending on the tides. Morning is best. If you go in the afternoon, hope for bright overcast or filtered light. If it's sunny then it's tough lighting. If I recall, the light is coming from behind. My best day was a cloudy one. Not many keepers when it's sunny on the afternoon trip.

I got crammed into a blind one time with 3 or 4 others. It gets hot with that many people in a tight blind. No room to move around either. You need to move around in the blind to get into better position for some shots. On one of the trips there were only 2 people in my blind. People tend to stay put whatever side they happen to be once inside the blind. I'm guessing this is the result of seeing Puffins for the first time and wanting to just shoot away (and there are plenty of Puffins no matter what window you're shooting through, so no incentive to move around) and also because of the limited time. I wanted to open one of the side windows to get some vegetation into my shot (for something different) but couldn't because someone was already on that side.

I know someone who heads out to Newfoundland almost every year and manages some Puffin photos. They look great and I don't think she was even really trying. The lighting in the shots she showed me look very similar to what I saw in puffin photos from the folks here who went to Newfoundland last summer. It must be the lighting. So, if you want to shoot Puffins well, (by "well" I mean being able to get some variety in your Puffin photos, having the time to wait for the right shot, being able to move around or choose the time and weather condition to shoot in) then it's best to do it somewhere else than on Machias Island. Certainly good images of Puffins can be had on Machias Island but many photographers would prefer to have better working conditions than those found inside a tight blind like at Machias. They now charge $80 to shoot in the blinds. And that's only for 45 minutes to 1 hour on a good day. The boat only makes 1 trip a day.

On the East coast Elliston, NF has land accessible Atlantic puffins. They are mostly located on a small island across a gap of water. Good flight and burrow shots can be had with a 500/600 lens and converters.
In the past they have on occasion landed very close to us, but only when there is not a lot of activity from others running around. The Elliston word is out, and in recent years signs and a booth have been erected near the access point. It is now busy with bird watchers, tourists, and photog's. Bonaventure is only good for bird watchers. Witless Bay has I believe the largest colony in NA. Landing access is by permit, requiring the accompaniment of a govt employee. If interested e mail me and I can provide contacts.

We get tufted and horned puffins in AK, usually by boat.

Best,

Chas

Rocky Sharwell wrote:I know Greg has some great Puffin images from St. Paul Island in Alaska.....

Those are of Horned and Tufted Puffins. There are no Atlantic Puffins in the Bering Sea. You can easily get the Tufted and Horned variety at point blank range in the Pribilof islands in the middle of the Bering Sea. Getting to the Pribilofs and accommodations there can be a challenge though.

You mentioned Iceland... EJ and I will be there is a couple of weeks and hope to have some tame Puffins to photograph. Have not been to Machias for the reason't mentioned. Not aware of any "good", reliable places to get close shots in North America or nearby.

P.S. St. Paul isn't what it once was and point blank range shots are much harder to come by.

I spent a day on Machias a few years ago. I had nearly ideal conditions in the blind, having it to myself for one turn and then sharing it with just one other guy for another turn. Given that ideal situation, my shots are not that great and they **lack variety**, since you only have so many angles to work in the blind. I would return again sometime but if I was after GOOD puffin shots then I would look elsewhere as the others have suggested.

Greg Downing wrote:You mentioned Iceland... EJ and I will be there is a couple of weeks and hope to have some tame Puffins to photograph. Have not been to Machias for the reason't mentioned. Not aware of any "good", reliable places to get close shots in North America or nearby.

P.S. St. Paul isn't what it once was and point blank range shots are much harder to come by.

What happened to the puffins in St. Paul? I have enjoyed the images I have seen.....

Rocky,

As with pretty much every place I have been in the last decade the number of birds has dwindled over time. It's a shame. Don't get me wrong good images are still to be had but the point blank range ones are fewer for sure.

Hello,

There are now direct flights from Montreal to Rejkyavyk every saturday from may to september via Tours Mont Royal; with very reasonable prices compared to Iceland air via Boston.

I think it's now easier to go there than on the canadian east coast; and the puffin opportunities there are truely unique; best places in my opinion are the western fjords (cape latrabjarg), and in the south, the INGÓLFSHÖFÐI nature reserve.

Tudor
Montreal

For those considering a return visit to Machias Seal Island, the absence of Artic Terns will be noticed. It has been that way for the past couple of Summers. They seem to have abandoned the island. I know people visit the island mainly for Puffins but hope to see and photograph Artic Tern as well.

 
Hoping to photographpuffins again next summer.

Machias Island.

Pro: is a guarantee if you need a quick puffin fix. However, you need to book at least 2 trips in case of bad weather (one person went there this summer, booked 2 puffin trips, one got cancelled due to rough seas).
Con: Limit of roughly 1 hour in the blinds. Afternoon trips has harsh back lighting unless cloudy.

YouTube video.  The types of behaviour you do not capture with a photo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POYjjqPhbjE


Newfoundland(Elliston areaand nearby). I have heard hit and miss here.


Witless Bay(Newfoundland). You shoot from a tour boat that does not landon the island. Permits to go onto the land are limited each season. You pay a fee for a biologist to accompany you. Your movements may be limited and you go only where the biologist says you can go.


Bird Island (CapeBreton). Lots of puffins if you go in July.  Early August, very few are left as I found out.  Limited time to shoot from a tour boat.


UPDATED with NEW and CORRECTED INFO as of November 2013.********

L'ile aux Perroquets (Quebec).  Part of theMingan Archipelago National Park Reserve (Parks Canada). 

Did some research and this sounds like the most promising location for up close puffin watching and photography all day long.  Ile aux Perroquets seems to be  similar to Machias Seal Island.  Both are very small islands with a nesting population of Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills and some other seabirds.  Ile aux Perroquets is what you wish Machias Island was....a place you can actually walk around and watch puffins all day long without being restricted to a blind.  

Location:  In the western part of the Mingan (pronounced Ming Gong) Archipelago, Quebec. 

Size:  60m (180 feet) wide X  300m (960 feet) long.


Distance:  1,064 kilometer drive from Montreal (13 hour drive).          
                 170 kilometers from Sept-Iles.
Via:   Airplane to Sept-Iles, rent a car and then drive 2 hours to Longue-Pointe du Mingan.
          Airplane to Havre St-Pierre, rent a car and then drive 50 kilometers to Longue-Pointe du Mingan.

- See more at: http://www.naturescapes.net/forums/view ... PKBwA.dpuf

 
The Mainland.   Tour boats and accommodations are found on the mainland which is Longue-Pointe du Mingan. 


Access ile aux Perroquets:  Located about 5km from the mainland.  Île aux Perroquets located near Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan is the property of Parks Canada.  Not to be confused with another island by the same name (Ile Aux Perroquets) owned by Bird Protection Quebec located in the vicinity of the municipality of Blanc-Sablon
quite far East of the Mingan Archipelago. Three companies have permission to take tourists to the island. Water taxis to and from the island are provided by:
Les Entreprises touristiques Loiselle inc. http://www.tourisme-loiselle.com/en/randonne.html  
Excursion du Phares. http://www.minganie.info/en/excursions- ... de-mingan/
3rd company ()
The typical tourist to the Mingan Archipelago visits ile aux Perroquets for an hour or so as part of a tour group.  They visit the lighthouse and take in the sights such as the birds.  Then they visit ile Nue and so on.  Water taxi service to ile aux Perroquets can be arranged for a fee.  One company mentions a minimum of six people but I will assume the trip is still a go if less people go as long as the fee paid is what will be paid if six people were going.


When:  July to August for puffins and razorbills.  July is good for seeing puffins flying around and perching about. Puffins can be seen even into mid or even late August.  August usually is the moth that juvenile puffins start to make it to the sea from their burrows.  Access to the island is NOT restricted/prohibited in June but access to the bottom of the cliff on the north-eastern side of the island is restricted.


Here is an account for August (someone who works in the area told me as well).  http://www.studentsonice.com/whale2004/html/august21.html



What’s on the island: A Parks Canada interpreter is present on the island.  Many visitors to the island are French speaking so that is the language used by the interpreter.  However, one can request it in English (not sure if it has to be a group).  The lighthouse has been renovated along with a couple of the surrounding buildings.  The buildings will be used as bed and breakfast starting in 2014 (originally slated to open in 2013).  The Bed and Breakfast is run by a corporation.  www.ileauxperroquets.blogspot.ca/ 


There was some concern that having more people on the island may make the puffins move but they are not worried because the puffins are very used to having people around.  The puffins on Machias Island also appear to be not nervous as many people walk to the blinds every day (of course on Machias you have to stay inside the blind and for a short time only). However, in the future, the south-east corner of the island which hosts nesting puffins on the ground may be restricted to ensure nesting success.  The south-east corner is where you get the best close-up puffin viewing.


Where to photograph puffins: 
Top of Island. Someone told me that puffins are not easy to see from the top of the island where the lighthouse and secondary buildings are situated.  The puffins nest on top of the island by digging burrows.   The grass along the cliff edges are not mown so are tall and obscure the view.   Visitors are asked to stay on the paths.  Off-path areas are not roped off but visitors are discouraged to go there. However, there is an outcrop along the path  near the outhouse that provides good views of the puffins.  This is the best spot on top of the island to see puffins.


Shoreline.  This is where most people photograph the puffins. The northeast part of the island is an open shoreline and can be used even at high tide.  This is where the tour boats land.  The cliffs here are about 30 to 40 feet high.  At least according to this person, this spot is not the best for seeing puffins as they stay mainly on top of the cliff. 
Depending on tides, the south-east corner of the island is also used as a boat launch area.  Puffins nest right on the ground here and is a great location to see them.   They can be very close.  Observations have indicated that having the boats use this spot seems to disturb the puffins.  (The southeast part of the island is foot-accessible at all tides, but access to this part of the island may be restricted in the future to ensure nesting success.).  


Birds.  There are about 10 pairs of Black Guillemots and 100 pairs of puffins.  Between 50 and 100 pairs of Razorbills.  The razorbills mostly stay near the boulder fields on the western shore but several pairs are mixed in with the puffins that occupy the top edge of the cliffs.

Some Eider Ducks can be seen in the area.  On the island, occasionally there can be seen ravens/crows, songbirds and gulls, but
all in small numbers. In the area, you can also observe gannets, cormorants, terns, gulls, various shorebirds and birds of prey during
migration.
 
Also check out this site for accommodations:  http://www.minganie.info/en/
L'ile Aux Perroquets is located in the western part.  There is another island with nesting seabirdsincluding puffins in the eastern end of the Archipelago. Viewing is only via tour boats.



Parks Canada site:http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/qc/mingan ... quets.aspx
The link provides info on airlines that fly to HavreSt-Pierre which is near the Mingan Archipelago. One of the regional airlines that fly there from Montreal is Pascanhttps://www.pascan.com/en/   It lands atthe airport in Havre St-Pierre which is close to Longue-Pointe du Mingan where the tour boats are stationed (will confirm).
For people living in Ottawa, Montreal, one can rent a carand drive down in a day or day and a half. Tadoussac is a well known location for whales and good place to stopover. 
The island is an Important Bird Area (IBA).  Some of the birds found on the island.
http://www.ibacanada.com/site.jsp?siteID=QC066
To get an idea how small the island is and how low thecliffs where the puffins nest are, have a look at this page:  Looks similar to Machias Island from thisperspective.
http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=1619
Someone posted a YouTube video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXCqmnOgYHk
 
I have a lot more information (and to make any corrections)and will post later. - See more at: http://www.naturescapes.net/forums/view ... 8#p2259098

Machias Seal Island can be hit or miss.... I reserved 2 days this July to go out. First day was rainy and high seas so we couldnt land. 2nd day was just perfect. There was a hazy foggy layer to diffuse the sun. Even at 10am it was just beautiful! Couldn't ask for better conditions, and I thought the blinds gave an exceptional perspective with views toward rocks, vegetation and sea. I would go back in a heartbeat. If you hit it right you are all set. Maybe the odds of this are pretty low, but where else are you going to go to have hundreds/thousands of puffins and razor bills within a few feet? After 1 hour in the blind I had taken 1300 images. It was a great experience.

What I meant by sure thing is, once you go there puffins are guaranteed  Once there...and the key is as you mentioned, you have to hit it right. You can put the odds in your favour by taking the morning trip so even if it's sunny you're still good.

I have been to Machias Island a number of times. Have always wished for a longer. more relaxed experience with the puffins and other seabirds that was within a reasonable distance from home.  Although I have never been to Ile Aux Perroquets, based on what I have researched so far, it sounds like what I'm looking for. I need to contact some more people to ascertain the actual number of puffins and other seabirds that nest on the cliffs. Where can one go or cannot go. What happens when the tide is high...where do you shoot from then and what is that like. Where on the island can you walk and how much of it is restricted. I want to get a more complete picture and once I have that, can make a better determination of the place and what to expect once there.  I plan to report on my findings.


PS.  A number of years ago, a local photographer told me she went to Grand Manan (the Canadian gateway to Machias Island).  She had booked a couple of trips to Machias from the tour operator on Grand Manan.  Upon arriving she found out that their new boat was NOT ready.  According to her, she did not get any email notification about the boat not being ready.  You can say she should have called ahead to check or the tour operator should have taken the initiative to notify their customers about the boat.  Once on Grand Manan, she chartered a plane (in the area and not necessarily on Grand Manan) to photograph lighthouses instead so the trip wasn't a complete loss.  At the time I did not ask any follow-up questions.  She's made the most of her photography by publishing 2 books.  Sadly, just as she was about to embark on another photography trip to Newfoundland, a sudden illness overtook her from which she did not recover.  She is an older lady, an artist, and I was one of the last photographers to speak with her,  Wished her well on her Newfoundland adventure and next thing I hear she never made the trip due to a sudden illness.

OntPhoto wrote:A number of years ago, a local photographer told me she went to Grand Manan (the Canadian gateway to Machias Island).  She had booked a couple of trips to Machias from the tour operator on Grand Manan.  Upon arriving she found out that their new boat was NOT ready.  According to her, she did not get any email notification about the boat not being ready. 

I can't speak for Grand Manan charter co, but Bold Coast Tours out of Cutler Maine is outstanding.  Capt Andy Patterson is a class act.  He is very knowledgeable about the area, the birds and equally as passionate.

I wanted to give may thoughts on Elliston, Newfoundland. Since I live in Newfoundland I make an annual trip out to see the puffins at Elliston. I do agree it is hit or miss but I guess I have been lucky enough because every trip I have made the puffins have come over to the mainland. When they do you can get some amazing shots. It has been said that when there is winds to the South or SE it seems to push them over. The times I have gone the lighting has been amazing. The sun rises behind the island just to the right if im not mistaken so early morning shots can be backlight depending on where the puffins land. I find the best place they like to land is all along the right hand side. One year there was a couple sitting right on the edge to the right. I could tell by the puffins flight pattern that they wanted to land. So I ask the couple and the few other people in the area if they would like to see the puffins even closer(they were obviously watching them on the breeding island) of course they said yes. I asked them to move away from the edge and sit with me. Within 5 - 10mins we had about 30-40 puffins all around us.
I made my trip this year at the end of July and was lucky enough to spend an hour with the puffins all around me. Here is a cell phone video I took and if you look at my flickr you can see some of the puffin shots I've come away with.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradsnatur ... 356513611/

this is one of my fav shots from there
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradsnatur ... otostream/

I hope this helps anyone planning to go there. Send me a message you you want more info.
PS: Its also a good place to get black guillemot shots

crw816 wrote:

OntPhoto wrote:A number of years ago, a local photographer told me she went to Grand Manan (the Canadian gateway to Machias Island).  She had booked a couple of trips to Machias from the tour operator on Grand Manan.  Upon arriving she found out that their new boat was NOT ready.  According to her, she did not get any email notification about the boat not being ready. 

I can't speak for Grand Manan charter co, but Bold Coast Tours out of Cutler Maine is outstanding.  Capt Andy Patterson is a class act.  He is very knowledgeable about the area, the birds and equally as passionate.

This was back when they purchased the new boat.  I've been there a number of times since and no issues.  When not going to see the puffins, they offer daily whale watching tours (except Sundays).  Went on an amazing Right Whale tour in the Bay of Fundy in September.  Amazing to see these whales come right up to the boat.  September is the best month for seeing them up close in the Bay of Fundy.  Before September, you can still see them but they are far off in the distance and there are fewer of them.  A time for every species.

Regards Elliston, I seem to recall a fella (biologist or naturalist....don't remember...thought the name was Greg Joy or something) used to have a website and offered guided tours to see puffins in the Elliston area or nearby anyways.  I have not been able to re-find the website (thought it used to be puffin(s).ca but I see it belongs to someone else now).

They have been trying to get the bed and breakfast open on ile aux perroquet for the past couple of years. It was supposed to open last summer but due to lack of funds it was slated to open this year instead. Once again, due to lack of funds they will try and open next summer instead, at nights only I have been told. This last bit is kind of strange. This is a total guess on my part to try and understand the "night only comment". Maybe it has to do with parks personnel rethinking having people staying on the island all day will increase disturbance to the puffins. I know they told me such things could be reassessed.  I mean, one can always stay on the mainland which is just a boat ride away.

You can see some of the renovations already done to the lighthouse buildings on the island here.  Nice photos of the island itself too. 


http://www.ileauxperroquets.blogspot.ca/



There are a couple of companies that provide a water taxi service from the mainland to ile aux perroquet.  I think each company is limited to a max of dropping off 6 people (those who want to spend most of the day there) per day on the island.  So if two companies have this limit, you're looking at 12 people spending the whole day on the island. I know there is a third company but do not know if they also have a water taxi service as well.  This max number of people on the isand at one time may be dictated by Parks Canada to limit disturbance to the nesting puffins. One company quoted me a $100 water tax fee which is pretty good considering to get to spend from 8am to 6pm on the island.  On Machias Seal Island you pay about $90 to spend about 1 hour in a blind.  A whole day versus 1 hour for about the same price. 

Ile aux Perroquets is a great place to photograph puffins and razorbills. It is what you wish Machias Seal Island would be. It is like Machias but without the blinds and time limits. On Machias you can photograph for one hour on average from a blind. On Ile aux Perroquets there are no blinds and you can stay pretty much all day.


The bed and breakfast located on Ile aux Perroquets is officially opening on July 16, 2015.  Bookings can be made starting on Monday June 8th, 2015. Rooms are limited to 7 for this year. 2 more rooms will be added next year.

4 rooms are in the lighthouse and will be open this year.  Two rooms are available in one of the guest houses.  Total capacity of 14 guests.  2 more rooms will be ready for next year making a total of 9 rooms.  So next year the capacity will be for 18 guests.

This is not official but rates will be $365 Cdn per person a day (double occupancy??).  Each room can have 2 people so it may depend on how many people are staying.  If there are 14 people, then it may have to be double occupancy.  If there are 7 people then perhaps each person can have their own room.  Rates and occupancy per room will be confirmed on Monday, June 8th, 2015 when they open for booking.  This rate includes breakfast and a cocktail.  It also includes the boat trip from and to the mainland. It sounds like they are not sure yet about providing dinner (this is unofficial but the person didn't think they would be ready to provide dinner...check with them at the website link below).  The person mentioned that one can bring food from the mainland and prepare it in the kitchen.  Room rates are discounted for businesses (assume they mean people who bring tours to the island, workshops, etc.).

You pay a bit more staying on Ile aux Perroquets itself but the benefit is that you get to photograph the birds from sunrise until 9:30am BEFORE people/tourists from the mainland arrive.  And you get the birds to yourself along with the other guests of the bed and breakfast from 5:30pm on to sunset.  This arrangement was put in place to provide guests some exclusivity.


This summer the bed and breakfast will be opened from July 16th to September 20th.  The plan is to open next year starting in early June.

The website for the bed and breakfast is here.  They speak English.  You can confirm the information.  Please check with them as what I have been told is not official.  You can also sign up for the newsletter. Link to their Facebook page as well.

http://www.ileauxperroquets.ca/



Parks Canada staff is on the island from 8am to 6pm, approximately. Outside this period, it's the bed and breakfast lodging staff that is supposed to oversee and conserve the site. As it is the first year, Park staff is going to keep their attention on the birds behavior, to see if they need to change the regulations.  Finally, the Park Warden can do patrols any time of the day and night.



The Île aux Perroquets located near Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan is the property of Parks Canada.
Boat tours offer taxi service to the island. Can leave early in the morning but must return at 6pm
to the mainland (I have heard that Parks Canada would not want people left on the island after that hour unless one is staying in the bed and breakfast on Ile aux Perroquets itself.  This is to provide guests staying at the bed and breakfast some exclusivity and privilege.  So if you want golden light photos of puffins and razorbills, booking a room on the island is best.

Access to the island is NOT restricted/prohibited in June: the island can
be visited. Only the access to the bottom of the cliff on the north-eastern
side of the island is restricted until July.

The southeast part of the island is foot-accessible at all tides, but
access to this part of the island may be restricted in the future to
ensure nesting success.
 
Between 50 and 100 pairs of razorbills estimated to inhabit the island.
They mostly stay near the boulder fields on the western shore but several pairs
are mixed in with the puffins that occupy the top edge of the cliffs.

On the island, you can also see ravens/crows, songbirds and gulls, but
all in small numbers. In the area, one can also observe: gannets,
cormorants, terns, gulls, various shorebirds, birds of prey during
migration.


Info from a parks personnel.  ("autonomous" means people who take a water taxi from the mainland and are then left on the island all day without accompaniment of the boat tour company.  The boat company will return later in the afternoon to pick them up.)

The boat tour companies are allowed to bring 6 autonomous people on the island simultaneously. There are two boat companies offering that service, thus that would be a maximum of 12 autonomous people on the island simultaneously. Apart from these autonomous visitors, regular tours can bring up to 44 people on the island. You will have to communicate with the boat tour companies for rates and schedules.  That would be Entreprises touristiques Loiselle and Excursions du Phare.

Time restriction for day visitors is restricted starting with the openning of the lodging service available on Ile aux Perroquets on the 16th of July (it may be earlier for next year). Before that date, there is no restriction.  After that date, boat companies can only land people beginning at 9:30am and last boat have to leave at 5:30pm.

The whole West side of the island is closed (think this is the boulder field). The South-east side is allowed only for walking through, as it is possible that boats have to disembark visitors there. However we ask visitors not to stay too long in this area by respect for wildlife. The area that is open only from the 1st of July is on the north side, the eastern end of the closed area. It's 25 meter long and It is under a cliff, so you'll have to stay 7 meters from the cliffs, as rocks can fall any time. Distance from the puffins varies, but they are quite curious and if you are lucky you could have some a few meters from you.

That is indeed the South-east side of the island (where puffins nest on the shore) where we ask visitors not to linger. This is to minimize the disturbance of birds during nesting and feeding period under the migratory bird’s regulations.  Even at 20 meters back, your feet will be in some water.


Update.  June 8th.  Apparently they are still not ready to take reservations.  A few more days they say. 


Update June 17.  I think they're still flying by the seat of their pants at the moment.  If they get all the right stuff onto the island in time, there'll be supper/dinner service available.  I do not see them opening a B&B WITHOUT availability of a food service for dinner meals so I fully expect they will be offering it.  They just do not want to say until the stove, etc. is in place and they have the people in place, etc.  That's my guess anyways.