Watch Atlantic puffins, sea eagles and other sea birds near to Ålesund
Sometimes special places in Norway can be very tiny compared to huge fjords: in this case it is the size of a small boat named "Aquila".
I chose this boat as a representative for all the nice places at the sea near bird island Runde.
Johan Moltu is the owner, skipper and a great tour guide. With his small and brave ship he was bringing me and a group of other people to the north side of bird
island Runde. There we watched Atlantic puffins, eagles, murres and other birds in their natural environment.
Where to find and how to do it
Boat Aquila is located at the harbour of Runde (Runde havn). This is where the boat tours are starting and ending. In my case the tour lasted approximately two hours.
Tickets must be bought before the tour at the office of the camping site or at Runde Kafe. Price per adult is 250 NOK (status as of
2018).
Clothing tip: Be prepared for colder temperatures and more wind felt on the water; wear warm clothes. On cloudy days be prepared for short rain
showers. At sunny days water is reflecting the sunshine: do not forget sun cream and sunglasses.
I recommend to check also the weather forecast for Runde before planning the boat tour for next day. Forecasts longer than 24 hours ahead are not very reliable in that region.
Some Bird pictures from my tour in June 2018
Some Tips for travellers
- A perfect day trip: Bird island Runde is by car between 80 and 120 kilometers away from Ålesund, depending on chosen route.
- Be aware that Atlantic puffins can only be seen between May and August. Rest of the year the birds live on the ocean.
- It is allowed to hike Runde's top hill to walk over to the north-western cliff coast.
- Runde Environmental Centre is definitely worth a visit and also their website with a huge selection of pictures.
(c) Author: Mark König, August 2 2018
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