We took advantage of a long stretch of uncommonly good weather to drive down to Kerry and take the boat over to Skellig Michael. For many hundreds of years, it was the Christian church's western-most and remotest outpost. Now, its a massive puffin colony. Its still a remarkably remote spot. Despite what seemed like at least a week of good weather - we were told that our day was the first time the boats had gone out in a week. On a bad day - and most days in Kerry are bad - an observer on the mainland can't see the rock. And it is a rock, rising directly from the Sea. The Monks landed at the base of a cliff, climbed up to the top, and set up a church. They lacked mortar, so all the walls are dry stane. They built 100s of stone steps down to the sea - tricky paths in the best of weather. The weather comes in right off the Atlantic. Its nearly impossible to imagine living there year-round.
