Grimsey Island

Before I left home I told my daughter that that she'll hear me hollering from California when I see Puffins. Barbara, did you hear me?!? Grimsey Island is loaded with Puffins. Too many to count. Cliffs covered in Atlantic Puffins. Chunky beautiful little Puffins!!

Dare I admit that at lunch the restaurant had "lightly fried Puffin" on the menu and I considered getting it. But our waitress said she's sorry to report that they had none today.

We had a long walk across the headlands of the island to cross the Arctic Circle. There are no trees here. Just moss, small grassy hillocks, a few sheep, and lots of birds. I couldn't identify them, except for the Arctic Tern and the Atlantic Puffin. This would be a birder's paradise. 

I wanted Ron and Doug to do a tree pose or vrikshasana (yoga pose) at the Orbis et Globus, the ball at the north end of the island where the Arctic Circle goes through. They did a very lazy man's version of it for me. They are not exactly cooperative posers for my pics, but I make them pose anyway -- just because.

As for the Arctic Circle, thanks to Doug I'm learning that due to the earth's precession, the line moves. So we may have crossed it at the bridge or at the globe, but in any case, I know we crossed it.

(ADDENDUM: After some research back at our guesthouse, Ron discovered that the ball really is where the Arctic Circle runs. As the Arctic Circle moves, they move the ball each year. So that is where we stood on the A.C.)

Along the edge of the cliffs, someone has a Frisbee golf course set up. This pic is for Matthew, my backyard Frisbee golfer. This might be a little more exciting -- if you miss it goes off the cliff. And just for the record, this was only one basket of many. They were strung out for at least a mile along the edge of the cliff.

So I'll end with this -- PUFFINS! I saw the puffins and I can go home happy. (I was happy anyway, but these birds are the thick globs of sweet gooey icing on my cake.)