Puffin Palagic Boat trip

Bucket found

That a girl . . . let that nice lunch you just had out . . . you shouldn't eat before a boat trip grandma says:)

Whew, we finally made it to Maine, and got a boat trip to take us out to see Puffins and other waterbirds. After some research, I located http://www.oldquarry.com/ out of Stonington that host several outdoor adventures. From camping and sea kayaking to light house boats trips and puffin boat trips. They schedule trips out to see the puffins twice  a month, from May until August. So we are set, now if it would not rain on us!!


The trips are usually 9am-2pm, five hours total and that Tuesday morning was perfect(see the Bar Harbor pics), but wouldn't you know it, the rain front coming up the east coast was hitting NE Maine around 2pm, but we had 16 people, a bird guide, and 2 crew . . . nothing can stop puffing us now!!!

the SS Nigh Duck

So it's 2 hours out,  one hour there, and 2 hours back, a 5 hour tour.  And it starts raining on the way out. We had rain gear so we stayed in the back of the boat and got great sights of Wilson's Storm Petrels, Northern Gannets, and Greater Shearwaters.

Having fun yet??

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Also the crew spotted this fin sticking out of the water?? What is it??  We slowed down and got closer to it.

What?

  

Ocean Sunfish

Turns out, it is a large Common Imola or Ocean Sunfish.  The heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight between 545–2,205 lb. The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.

google images photo

Cool, a new life fish!!!  So by now the waves/swells are getting bigger, it's raining more, wind is picking up, and 4 people have now used the puke buckets . . . it's getting rough. But finally, after a little more than 2 hours, we see an island off in the distance . . it's Seal Island NWR

#T4P at Seal Island NWR

Once we get there, we cut the engines down to no wake speed and troll around the back side of the island, back and forth for about 30 minutes. Lucky the rain had slowed to a sprinkle, and the wind and waves where calm in the cove.

We're here!!

Navigation of iPhone working

16 Miles out from coast

No land in sight

Above is a one minute video I took of the island/boat trip, so you get an idea of the nicest part of the trip, and what it's like out there in the middle of nowhere. It' neat to think that Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills come out here to nest. Partly is because of no natural predators like cats, foxes etc can get to them.

After the 30 minutes, we make the turn to head back into land, this time riding the waves makes it easier on the boat and quicker.  We boat through Isle au Haut bay and island and see Gray Seals and Harbor Seals.

Seal

Atlantic Puffin

And this concludes my three part blog series of Maine, where I got 6 life birds now taking me up to #570 ABA birds.

Next up:  Viva Las Vegas!!!!  4th time a charm . . . can I get a lifer??