Life on the water

Round Rathlin Tour

Photos from our Round Rathlin boat tour: all the way around Rathlin Island, its three lighthouses and seabird cliffs, with an hour ashore at Church Bay.

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A big thank you to James Allen (our crew member and guide during the 2026 season) for providing us with most of these beautiful moments and pictures. Please feel free to check him out on Instagram: @orange_in_the_blue

A puffin lifting off the water, one orange foot trailing through the splash.
A puffin coming in to land.
A puffin splashing through the water.
A puffin flying against blue sky, wings raised.
A puffin in flight with a beak full of fish.
Two puffins standing together on the clifftop.
A puffin taking off from the water among the others.
A mixed raft of puffins and razorbills scattered across the water.
A puffin swimming on dark water.
A puffin low over the water, orange bill catching the light.
Three puffins floating together on the water.
A puffin taking off, wings raised and feet lifting clear of the splash.
Two puffins flying low over the water.
Two puffins flying low over the sea.
A puffin on the water, ruffling its wings.
Two puffins on the water.
Two puffins swimming, a razorbill nearby on the water.
A puffin swimming close by, its colourful bill clear.
A puffin swimming close by, its colourful bill on full display.
A puffin flying overhead, wings spread against the sky.
A puffin flying low over choppy water, wings raised high.
A puffin flying past the cliffs, pale streaks on the rock behind it.
A puffin flying low over the water, a second bird alongside.
A little raft of auks, puffins and darker birds together.
An auk standing on the grassy ledge.
Two puffins swimming together.
A puffin flying low over choppy water.
A puffin swimming close by, its colourful bill on show.
A puffin floating alone on calm water.
Two puffins out on the water.
A puffin swimming on the water.
Two puffins swimming side by side.
A puffin floating on open sea.
Two puffins out on the water together.
West Light's lantern up close, seabirds scattered on the rock below, Rathlin Island.
West Light from further out, birds overhead and a colony below, Rathlin Island.
A gull lifting off the calm water.
A guillemot on the pontoon, red legs on show.
A guillemot on the pontoon, red legs and white wing patch on show.
A pied wagtail perched among the sea thrift.
A fulmar resting on the cliff ledge.
A seal glancing back toward the water.
A seal with its flippers up, soaking up the moment.
A seal with one flipper raised, company close by.
A gull skimming low over the water.
A guillemot preening on the pontoon.
A gull standing in the shallows, mirrored in the pool.
A ringed plover mid-stride on the sand.

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