Survey Report
9th July 2014.
Vessel: Stena Nordica
Time of departure from Holyhead: O855
Time of arrival in Holyhead: 1850
Present: Katy
Hobson
David
Williams
Richard
Barlow.
Overview:
Upon arrival at Holyhead at 0730hrs, I was shortly
afterwards joined by David and then Richard in the ferry terminal. Check in
time was around 0805, after which we boarded the vessel without incident. We were seated in the café area and then
taken up to the bridge by around 0915.
Weather conditions were initially turbulent, Force 6 and
northwesterly with bright, sunny conditions and scattered clouds. Sightings of
rafts of seabirds, notably manx shearwater, guillemot and the occasional gannet
or fulmar presided for the first half of the outbound leg. First porpoises were
sighted around halfway across, small group of adults and a calf. One individual
sighting was noted as a result of Mr. Williams experimenting with his camera
and capturing a clear porpoise fin. Time was correlated with the ship’s log
along with the bearing and range of the shot to give an accurate sighting and
positive ID.
Closer to Dublin, the weather improved, decreasing to a
force 3-4 Northwesterly. Cloud cover reduced and conditions became much more
suitable. Seabird sightings,
Particularly guillemot and shearwater were sighted along with the known Tern
colony on the inbound leg into Dublin harbour. Large numbers of Black Guillemot
were also present within the Harbour limits and there seems to be a resident
population, given the high numbers noted on previous surveys.
Arrival time in Dublin was around 1230, at which time the
team went on break for lunch, having been invited down to the crew mess. Weather conditions in port remained stable,
where Mr. Williams recorded large numbers of Black Guillemot in the harbour.
Departure back towards Holyhead was at around 1530. Similar numbers and species of seabirds were
observed on the outbound passage. Approximately three miles offshore, a large
sighting of approximately ten Harbour Porpoise in a group was observed to
starboard, containing adults and juveniles.
Mr. Barlow then reported a smaller group following the larger group a
few hundred yards behind. We believe
this may have been a movement between food sources.
Sightings of harbour porpoise were seen in small numbers
along the return passage, possibly becoming more apparent due to calming
weather conditions. Wind force decreased
as low as Force 2 after around 1700, with many birds settling out onto the
water into rafts as opposed to their foraging behaviour seen in stronger wind
conditions.
Arrival into Holyhead was around 1850. The trip proceeded smoothly without incident
from either the team or the crew. Everyone seemed happy with the results and
the crew expressed their thanks and that they would see us again shortly.