Skellig Michael Trip 2012, Skellig Lighthouses

Small Skellig

Small Skellig

Small SKellig in the morning

Colours on the Rock of Small Skellig

Small Skellig

Small Skellig Rock Detail

First Puffin on the way up

Puffins

Window of Old Dwelling Upper Lighhouse

View from Upper Lighhouse

Gable Detail Upper Lighthouse Dwelling

John Dowd, the man who stood on the top of Mount Everest at the Upper Lighthouse Dwelling.

View from Upper Lighhouse down to Lower Light

Detail Upper Lighthouse Dwelling, Valentia Slate

Davild Rolt from Cromane making Friends

Detail of Fresnel Lens, Lower Lighthouse

Detail of Fresnel Lens, Lower Lighthouse

New LED Light from New Zealand for Lower Lighthouse

Detail of Fresnel Lens, Lower Lighthouse

Detail of Fresnel Lens, Lower Lighthouse

A trip to Skellig Michael is always a special occasion. This year we decide to visit the two lighthouse only and take photos on the way of the birds. I had been on Skellig Michael only three days earlier and on that day we saw only one puffin. To my surprise they were all back on Sunday and we got plenty of photo opportunities. Calling to the Lower Lighthouse first, we were greeted by Aidan Walsh from Valentia and some men from Irish Lights. The photographer Peter Cox, who runs a nice photo gallery in Killarney was there too. After a quick safety instruction we made our way up to the ruins of the upper light. Even we had visited the place last year it was great to see them again and to have more time to take photos with tripod. The weather had by this time cleared and we had the most beautiful sky again. Time for a lunch at this special place as well.
The lower light has been replaced now by a LED light from New Zealand which is going to be installed at all Lighthouses now. Great to see the wonderful Fresnel Lens making its rotating job even when not in use during the day.
Thanks to everybody who joined for the trip and a special thank you to our  skipper Joe Roddy, a former lighthouse keeper and great man of the sea himself.