Blaskets

Camera shy bird!

Today we set out for Dingle. We had booked a trip to the Blasket Islands. Dingle has become more famous in recent years as the home of a dolphin. The locals call him Fungi. He is one of a number of solitary dolphins around the coasts of Europe and other parts of the world. No one really knows why these normally very social creatures should abandon their kind and live so close to people. Not all of them are safe to come in contact with but Fungi has so far been nothing but playful with people. Sure enough as the boat made it way out through Dingle bay, Fungi gave chase. First along beside the boat , then behind it. Cosmin had moved around the boat to get better photos of the many sea birds who passed back and forth. Gaby and I stayed at the back. I guess Fungi spotted us because he kept to our side of the boat, lol. He left us after a few minutes and I later saw him putting on a show for one of the many boats that go out to the middle of the bay just to see him. He has done more for tourism in Kerry and Ireland than most of the overpaid tourism executives. As we approached An Balscaod Mor(Great Blasket Island) we could see the ruins of the old village and a couple of new houses. The boat moved along in front of An Traigh Bhan (the white beach) and as it did we could make out the fins of basking sharks. We drifted over closer and we could see the large brown shapes of these creatures as they moved slowly in the water. A small group of seals popped their heads over the water to have a look at the humans in the boat and we also saw a young seal in a cave, lying on a rock, it's white fur making it stand out against the dark backround of the cave. We passed An Ceann dubh(The black headland) at the other end of An Blascaod Mor and on to Inis na Bro (Island of the Quernstone) where we saw the spectacular Cathederal Rocks, a series of narrow jagged high rocks . We were at the most westerly point of the most westerly island of the the most westerly country of western Europe. As the locals say" the next parish is America". On the journey back to Dingle Cosmin continued his seemingly eternal quest for photos of seabirds. On arrival we began the coastal drive to Dunquin. This has some very spectacular coastal views and I could have spent days in this area. However our destination tonight was Tralee. We stayed in Brook Manor Lodge. On her last visit in August ,Gaby described her room here as "the princess room" so I made sure she had the same room this time also, and this time she had a prince.