PUFFIN ISLAND 



BY permission kindly granted from the Bulkeley 

 Estate Office, we were enabled to visit Puffin 

 Island, which, owing to the depredations of 

 the " tripper," had been closed to the general public. 



The island lies at a distance of about a quarter 

 of an hour's row from the north-east corner of 

 Anglesey, provided always that wind and sea are in 

 the mood to let one cross. For the sea runs a 

 regular race between the two islands, and if there is 

 any west in the wind, it is almost impossible to get 

 a passage across. As Puffin Island is uninhabited 

 (there is one house, occasionally occupied), there are 

 no boats regularly present at the Point to take one 

 over. We therefore came down the Strait from 

 Beaumaris, and although the distance from the latter 

 to Puffin Island is only six miles, we spent the whole 

 of the morning tacking in the windless strait, and 

 labouring against the incoming tide. At last, about 

 one o'clock, we anchored off the little shingly cove 

 at the south point of the island, and rowed ashore. 



As we approached the land, twelve sheldrakes, 

 which were nesting there, launched themselves from 



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