Tuesday 14 December 2010

Stena Europe/December Dolphins part 2

Photo : Steve Rosser

We awoke after a good nights sleep on the "Stena Europe" back in Rosslare this morning and enjoyed a great breakfast in the Truckers Lounge.
Looking out at the sea beyond the harbour wall it became apparent that the flat calm sea of Monday was nothing more than a memory and that overnight the weather had roughed up a little. We arrived on the bridge and set up just before departure wearing a multitude of layers against the bitter NE wind.

Having set sail for Fishguard we stared our eyeballs out into a choppy glary sea and after a while I spotted a Porpoise smash through the wave tops adjacent to the Tusker.

It didnt get any better and we joked and argued as to whether Keith and Cliff Richards might be brothers all the while scanning as our eyeballs froze. This is probably why "Big Al" Murrow copped the Minke whale which we missed!

Just to add salt to the wounds, apparently Colin Butters who was watching from Strumble Head had three Risso's heading west at 12.31which we also presumably missed as we came off effort entering Fishguard Harbour at 12.22.
Its probably worth saying that in real terms unless the conditions are right as they were yesterday as against today, surveying in the depths of winter is pretty hit and miss. Also from certain angles Cliff and Keith bear a certain resemblence, in the same way that distance sampling is a useful tool ...

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