Steady As She Goes
As someone who enjoys taking photographs (I stop short of claiming to be a photographer), one of the great things about Serenity is the twin-hulled Catamaran. The more trips I've done with Andrew and team the more I appreciate the stability that Serenity offers when trying to capture good images. Whilst landing on the islands provides some superb photo opportunities [...]
Arctic Angels
Summer at The Farnes means terns and it's the Arctic Tern that has the biggest numbers and dominates many of the islands including Inner Farne. Arctic Terns are birds of contrast, elegant, graceful almost angelic in appearance, apparently floating across a blue sky. Then they open their mouths and that harsh kree eeer call rasps from the red throat. After [...]
Sunset Cruise
On Thursday night we did our first Sunset Cruise and we could not have picked a better night for it. At 7pm we picked up our passengers and headed out to the Farne Islands. On our way out we saw over 60 Manx Shearwaters flying north. What a way to start the night. Now the islands are a special place [...]
Puffin Update 2
Well just to let you all know that the Puffins are doing just fine. After our little scare and the burrows being flooded they are all dried out now and we alot of chicks down the burrows now. I have not been lucky enough to see them yet but hopefully soon. Here is a selection of pictures to wet your [...]
2 Perfect Days
On Thursday and Friday we had the best weather of the year. Not only was it hot, but we never had a cloud in the sky and with flat calm seas we could not ask for much more. My day started by leaving the harbour at 7am due to the tide, so I steamed up to The Inner Farne for a bit of [...]
What a week!
I have never known a month quite like it. Westerly winds nearly every day. If we are going to get any winds then this is the direction we want it, but day after day it just drives you around the bend.Today was the first day that we had no wind and flat calm seas. Yesterday was just a pain. The wind just got stronger [...]
Kittiwake Update
Well I have to take my hat off to those little Kittiwakes, not only did alot of them survive the gales but they have started to rebuild their nests and we also saw a few mating again. This Kittiwake was stamping on the water logged nest to compack it down. A couple of Kittiwakes helping each other out. 2 days later they [...]
Lucky Escape
A update after the storm. Well at first glance the birds look as though they have managed to brave the storm with only a few casualty's. The Kittiwakes are the ones that everyone was worried about as they nest so close to the waters edge, but after closer inspection they look as though they have made it. Yes we have lost a [...]
70 MPH Winds
It was the calm before the storm and when it came by god did it come.All our thoughts were with the wardens and the birds. It's a critical time at The Farne Islands with all the birds eggs hatching. The one thing that is in favour for the birds is that its a west wind and not a Northerly, North [...]
Before the Storm
Well we had a lovely day on Sunday but with the forecast for 70 MPH winds, we all had the birds in the back of our minds. My daughter Charlie has her sea legs at 4 years old and she keeps pestering me to take her to sea. So on Sunday morning she had her packed lunch, hat and coat on ready [...]