It was a fair day for the crossing, the heatwave that had brought such scorching weather earlier in the week had happily broken, and many compliments were given to the comparatively cool 20 degree start to the trip.

As we left the north Devon coast behind and made steady pace into the Bristol channel, we passed through large rafts of Guillemot. I got to share the breeding successes on Lundy, the different plumages we were seeing, and the fantastic work done to ensure Lundy is rat free. An international couple was interested in this year’s Basking Shark sighting, which led to a fantastic discussion on the history of Basking Shark sightings near Lundy.

Arriving on the island, I found myself tired. So instead of rushing off to see the Round-leaved Sundew in the northmost quarry, I found a quiet shady spot near the Ugly and had a sincerely appreciated nap. After waking, I met two people attempting to find the letterboxes hidden around the island, and we were treated to a male Peregrine Falcon zooming past as we talked.

In the time I had left on the island, I discovered that the warm weather had been kind to the island’s insect population, chatting with a family about the migrant Hummingbird Hawk-moth that had almost tripped them up on it’s never ending search for nectar. I was also lucky enough to witness a wonderfully colourful and peculiar Ichneumonid wasp bumbling around, as well as a wealth of late summer butterflies.

The return crossing was wonderful. As soon as I had been introduced, a budding marine biologist came up to me. She had so many questions about the wildlife of Lundy, regaled me with tales of fish and limpets, and had a wealth of questions about the survey techniques used to spot cetaceans and seabirds. With her parent’s permission she joined me in trying to spot any dolphins or birds passing by and was so excited to spot her first group of gulls!

A mother and her two children also said hello, telling me about how unforgettable the night sky is, with the nearest light source being almost 20km away. Interested to learn about the haunting calls they had heard, I told them about the Manx Shearwater and the recent ringing of 12 chicks. We also brainstormed to identify a sea slug (concluding it was likely a Sea Lemon), which they were over the moon to have found. Another highlight was the international couple returning with a video of a distant seal snoozing and spyhopping, spotted during a swim.

Overall, there were many fantastic conversations had, and everyone that I talked to had come away loving their time on the island. Thank you so much again to Captain Jason and the wonderful crew of the Ms Oldenburg, whose hospitality made the trip so much more comfortable.

MARINElife WLA Elisabeth Waterfall

Weather: outward sea state 2, return sea state 3, wind force 3