As if the sun were not enough to please me...

A gorgeous sunny first day for my visit to Shetland, where I am reminded how much I really love the ever-presence of water while driving around an island.  

I had an interesting school visit at Anderson High School (the biggest secondary school and only higher level school on the island).  The school has 900 students.  I learned today in the Socials Studies class I observed that there are only 20, 000 people on the island.  I got to eat with the bairns (young ones) today and helped out in a special needs art class.  I also got fantastic tour guide advice from newly rising sixth years.  Their knowledge and love about their island was obvious and impressive!  

After school, I took a quick tour around the town and stopped at Shetland Fudge...an insidious little shop of delicious horrors.  Then I drove toward the south of the island and visited St. Ninnian's (don't you just love that name) island.  There is a stretch of beach called a tombolo that runs between the island and the mainland that you can walk across.  The oddity of hearing two sets of waves, one seemingly an echo of the other was a soothing pleasure.  On the beach I found several pocket treasures, a lovely worry stone and some pretty beach glass. 

Not Fudge, of course, but I could not resist the picture.  I do not support
the eating of Puffins or Puffin Poo.  

On the way to St. Ninnian's Island

View of the tombolo--doesn't do it justice--St. Ninnian's
island in distance.

Then I headed to the southern most tip of the island, Sumburgh lighthouse.  Here is a RSPB bird sanctuary where lots of sea birds make their nests along the protected cliffs.  And you guessed it...there are puffins.

My Fowlsheugh tour guide gave such a good primer on how to identify puffins, that I was able to do so again.  I found two and then two more far enough away that I needed to use the binoculars that I brought with me.  I climbed up on the top of a stone wall and perching, watched the puffins going about their evening business (which mostly consisted of a good stretching of the legs and wings after sitting on the egg for most of the day).  They are funny little creatures and a pleasure to watch. 

  

Puffin close up

This one is saying, "Hey, how ya doin'?"

While I say quietly, just below my feet, another puffin stepped out of his/her burrow and stood just 20 feet away doing its own calisthenics.  I got some really great shots.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. 

Did you get my good side? 

I was sitting so still and calm, look who else came out to play?

Oh, alright.  One more.  

Look at this gorgeous weather.  This was taking at 8:00 p.m.  

Tomorrow?  More good weather please!  (it is expected)...and a visit to a primary school with only 11 students total.  I expect that to be really interesting.  

Then, I will take the advice of my student tour guides and visit Eshaness for more dramatic cliffs and water views.