On the morning the 8th of May, 2013, it started out raining and blowing hard, and it was touch and go whether the trip from Abergavenny Camera Club would set sail for Skomer with the redoubtable Andy Davies, who had enthused us with a wonderful talk earlier in the year. Miraculously, and at the last minute, we got the decision from the skipper to go and off we went, a bit up and down but just refreshing, really.

On the island, Andy’s party marched to the farmhouse as hints of blue appeared above us. What a wonderful place! He gave us a talk about photography in which he managed a neat trick of appealing to beginners and more advanced folks at the same time. Then off across the rugged landscape, keeping carefully to the paths as the island is covered with bird burrows.

And eventually we got to the main puffin place! Many of us had never seen a puffin before and we were besides ourselves with delight as the little critters scampered sometimes even between our legs as they made their way to throw themselves off the cliff in amazing displays of suicidal bravado. Somehow they returned and we were forever trying to get that special ‘bird in flight’ photo. Andy got around everybody, repeatedly, giving tips to help both the neophyte and the know-it-all. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he was unremittingly positive.

And then back again, with tales of super snaps and beautiful bokeh. And perhaps to the reality that not every photo turns out as one might have hoped, yet the happy memories of the day have remained flavoursome and fresh.