Maid of the Forth and the Lone Supposed Puffin Escapee – 9/9/2007

A combination of wind and sore me led us to look for a more leisurely Sunday plan. All credit goes to Brian for the actual idea. We took one of those Forth cruises to Inchcolm to get lost in the abbey and annoy the wildlife. Some parts of the abbey date back to the 13th Century and they have the twisty, windy, steep stairs to prove it. Other structures around it were constructed during the first and second World Wars to house various weapons to defend against German naval vessels, particularly submarines, who came looking for a fight. They have the temporary unattractiveness typical of government buildings.

Perhaps a full day’s worth of tourists landing on the island, or the high winds, or both, the wildlife was feeling bashful. We saw seagulls galore, plenty of guano, but not a lot of variety in birds otherwise. I think I saw a lone puffin frantically flying away from the boat after Brian disappeared to the bar for some crisps, but he doesn’t believe me.

In the evening, Brian and I tried our luck at pub quiz, a second for me but a first for him. We placed 2nd of 5 teams, with a prize of a box of chocolates, and an addict was born…