Setting off & Monkey Haven
What we did
Olivia's Day One — sung as a sea shanty. (Best bellowed on a chilly ferry deck.)
At half-past six one Monday morn we clambered up the bus,
We waved goodbye to home and kin with barely any fuss.So heave away, to the Isle of Wight we go!
Heave away, me hearties, heave-ho, heave-ho!Me and Lily built a den, the air-con blew so cold,
We played our games to pass the miles as down the road we rolled.We rumbled on the rolling ferry, shivering at sea,
But when we reached the island shore, as warm as warm could be.So heave away, to the Isle of Wight we go!
Heave away, me hearties, heave-ho, heave-ho!Our first stop was the Monkey Haven, monkeys all around,
With Amilie in my little group we snapped whate'er we found.We spied some fish, we spied some owls — an eagle owl so wise! —
Then played awhile out in the park beneath the island skies.And off we sailed to reach the inn, with dinner on the plate,
We unpacked bags and off to bed — Day One had been so great!So heave away, to the Isle of Wight we go!
Heave away, me hearties, heave-ho, heave-ho!
Photos
The eagle owl is a giant among owls
That eagle owl we spotted at Monkey Haven was no ordinary bird. The Eurasian eagle-owl is one of the largest owls in the world — its wings can stretch to around 1.8 metres (6 feet) from tip to tip, wider than most grown-ups are tall! With its burning orange eyes and pointed ear-tufts, it's a fearsome night hunter that can catch prey as big as young foxes. Monkey Haven, near Newport, is a rescue sanctuary, so many of its owls, monkeys and other animals have found a safe forever home there when they couldn't live in the wild.