Got this off the Lonely Planet email "Comet":

Cliffhanger Traditions in Iceland, from Michael Obochuvsky.

'The Westman Islands is a cluster of 15 islands just off the south coast of
Iceland. The only inhabited island is Heimaey, which has a population of
around 5,000. Nature here is alive and kicking with armies of puffins,
fulmars and other sea birds that use the sheer basalt cliffs and deep sea
as their bases.


'You might also see children throwing birds out to sea, but don't hurry to
judge them as cruel. Every August, the children of the Westman Islands help
the young pufflings, flying from their nests for the first time, to find
their way out to sea. The pufflings get confused by the bright lights of
the city and hundreds fly towards them. The children offer the youngsters
'bed & breakfast' - a safe home for the night in a cardboard box and some
food in the morning. The next day they compete with each other to see which
puffling will fly the farthest out to sea. The winner, given the title
'King of Puffins', is praised till the following August.'

..
Clarice Clark
Puyallup, WA. 98371
mailto:jbroadus at seanet.com