Nice late start day we did not board the zodiacs until 10.00 am.

Today we were at St. Paul and it was very foggy. We have been SO fortunate with the weather and fog in this region is very common and this is the first time we have seen the fog. The fog seemed to lift a little and we could see the land. On the way in we saw seals in the water. Then we saw a seal with a flounder in its mouth I hope Ken got a shot of that.

On arrival we walked a short distance to a church and museum that we could visit but we elected to go straight to the wildlife. We boarded a little bus it was just over a mile to the wildlife area. Some elected to walk from the church.

On the agenda for today was a seal haul out, bird cliffs including horned and tufted puffins and the hope of an arctic fox. We went to the seals first. It was way too rocky to walk the area, with huge boulders. So the island constructed a platform that held about 15 peoples so we could easily to view the seals. It worked really well. The seals came right up the platform to voice their displeasure at our presence. It was a little smelly but not too bad. The pups were only about one month old and there were tons of them around. The large males kept their multiple females in line and it was an amazing scene. I have seen seals like this before often from a zodiac and of course on foot in South Georgia and Antarctica. When I first heard the words “a blind” I thought this would not be as good as past experiences but I was wrong. This was really enjoyable.

Then off to the bird cliffs. Normally you see puffins from the zodiacs and they are high on a cliff or sometimes in the water but they do not sit still long. This is the first time we have been on top of a cliff looking down on the birds. There were both horned and tufted puffins. Ken was in heaven racing to the highest point with his two cameras around his neck and disappearing very quickly. It was a great sight and we saw both the horned and tufted puffins.

The local guide had a telescope that really was superb to view the puffins. He was a birder and said the unique thing about this island is when they have big storms birds from Russia and China get caught in the winds and swept to this island. So after a big storm everyone is out scouting the different varieties of birds that have “blown in”

Just as we were about to leave one person spied an arctic fox. He was looking at a seal on the rocks and then saw the fox. They are brown in the summer and turn white in the winter. It was a good sighting he was not too far away. So that rounded off the wonderful morning. All missions accomplished.

Food continues to please! Last night a really good rack of lamb and I know a good rack from an average rack!