Rock Puffins, Machias Seal Island

I took this picture at the puffin sanctuary on Machias Seal Island.  For those who have not heard of it, Machias Seal Island is a two hour boat ride from Jonesport, Maine.  On this day, the water was rough with low ceilings.  As we landed on the island the tour operator noted that, because of the weather, we might not get the full hour on the island as advertised.

When I first entered the blind, the other photographer immediately started into rapid fire photography.  I soon realized that since time might be extremely limited, I had better start shooting quicker.  After 28 minutes and two and a half memory cards, the guide returned and said we had to leave immediately. During that 28 minutes I had shot 415 images.  Of course, many of them were not useable, but this is one of a number of keepers.

This image is particularly interesting as it looks like the puffins are posing in a studio.  During my time in the blind, the puffins rarely stood still.  This particular rock was the highest point in a pile of rocks and the puffins took turns hopping up one side, looking around, and hopping down the other side.  At times there would be two puffins on the rock, and for very short periods of time three would crowd the top of the rock.  At the moment I took this image, the puffins appeared to be looking across the ocean at something of interest.  The gray background  highlights the silhouette of the puffins, making them really stand out.

Oh yeah, my wife was on the trip with me and ended up “feeding the fishes” just before we reached the island.  After the short time on dry land, she was less than thrilled to get back on the boat for the trip back to Jonesport!

Click here to book your trip with Captain Ira aboard the Chieftain.  On the way out to the island you can talk to Captain Ira about the history and current state of the fishing industry in Maine.  If you book a tour, contact me and I can give you more tips so that you can maximize your time on the island.