Shorter days but they are still out there!

Images: Steve Rosser

It is annoying to think how our programme of Stena ferry surveys has been disrupted this autumn by unfavourable weather . Trying to understand what is happening out there is dependant on resonably frequent visits to keep abreast of who is where. As we enter into the winter phase of short days, darkness cuts into our outbound survey at the point where we penetrate what has become known to us as the "Risso's Triangle" a consistantly productive area as we approach the Tusker Light. Luckily we know from our Strumble watchers that Rissos were pretty active off our coast during this period but were they the same animals we had been seeing in the Risso's Triangle?

Again the weather forecast was wrong with higher winds than forcast and rougher seas but none the less we recorded ten sightings of three species in five hours of survey. New girls Jill and Barbara were delighted with several close views of Porpoise ,Common Dolphins as well as porpoise and Risso's the last two of which Steve Rosser managed to photograph. It was hard work and we really had to dig them out, pretty chilly as well!

Thanks again for the help we get from the Stena Team, both onboard and shoreside whose support really makes the difference!