six down (cryptic): birds & boats enlighten, floodlit or unlit

We decided to make the most of improved weather and headed this morning to the Scottish Seabird Centre. This award-winning tourist site is based on a peninsula of the mainland, close (ie. within five miles) of a number of offshore islands that are important breeding sites for seabirds. They have high-powered telescopes on a viewing platform that enable you to observe birds on the water and the islands (particularly the closer ones). They also have projection screens displaying video images from three cameras on the islands, which you can pan, tilt, and zoom to observe the birds to your heart's content. The images you are selecting are simultaneously streamed on the net for viewers around the world. Now Puffins were the hope of the day, though initial information was we were a few weeks too late and they had left the Islands. However, further discussions revealed a few straggling juveniles had been spotted floating on the firth, yet to fly to wider seas. Sure enough, after some scanning with the scopes on the observation deck, and some help from an experienced member of their permanent staff, we found some Puffins! I can leave Scotland a happy man. We also saw Gannets, various Gulls and Turns, Cormorants, and possibly some Eider species. I like this stuff.

We continued the aquatic/avian theme this afternoon with a cruise out to Inchcombe Island in the Firth of Forth. Our journey passed under the impressive mile-long Victorian Forth Bridge. The island has the well-preserved ruins of a 12th century abbey, and was a nice place to pass the afternoon spotting further birds and even the odd Seal.

We headed into the city this evening where after grabbing some dinner we went to church at the massive St Peter and St Georges' Episcopalian church, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It was a warm, upbeat service, with about 400 people present. It was the kind of place I'd be happy to be a member. They didn't use much in the way of Anglican liturgy, but what they did was word-for-word the same as the New Zealand Prayer Book, bar one entirely new section. Familiar rhythms of the past, present and future.

We walked the city for a shot while, admiring floodlit architectural grandeur. David's leg acting as the voice of reason for all of us, however, we headed back to the car and wound our way home. The last few miles of the unfamiliar route we found streets and houses pitch black. After a couple of intersections with similarly darkened traffic lights, we realised we were driving through a power cut. It is eerie driving through such a ghost town—we rely so much on our human “let there still be light”. Finally, as we neared our destination we found again-lit streets and arrived at a B&B recently reactivated from three hours without power. So in a celebration of the possibilities electricity brings to life, Bronwyn and I watched a documentary on the construction of “Boy Bands” through the years. Ah, the pinnacle of our civilisation.