Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig is an extraordinary lump in the middle of the Firth of Clyde, somewhere between Girvan and the Mull of Kintyre. This bizarre block of granite stands 340m high, and the vertical cliffs are home to 70,000 breeding gannets, plus guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars and puffins.The island is managed by the RSPB, and as part of my role as information officer, I have been out there with local RIB providers several times this summer, to share the island and it's incredible wildlife to visitors. On this trip I travelled with Ocean Breeze Ribtours, who do daily power boat trips all over the Firth of Clyde.

Circumnavigating the island to look at the seabird colonies

 The white dots are gannets- each one a huge and elegant bird with a 6-7 foot wingspan! (See blurry image at top of photo...)

Getting there can take us through some bumpy seas in all but the calmest conditions.  I sat in the "wet seat" on the way back....