Thursday 21 April 2016

First Blank in Over Twelve Months.

On arriving at Strumble today the wind was NNE at about 12mph and the sea state 1-2 locally 3 off the shoals with overcast cloud at around 80%, visibility 6-8 miles. As I scanned around from the car park I spotted a small and very distant group of porps off to the NE moving quickly East toward  Cardigan Bay. In the remaining two and a half hours I was there I spotted no more cetacean activity at what would be an active tidal feeding period. What I did spot though was F81, HMS Sutherland,  lurking in the haze some four mile or so off to the NW.  There has lately been a joint exercise including anti submarine warfare in which I would imagine extensive use of the very powerful SONAR 2087 would have been used. I've no way of knowing if she is still on exercise or indeed using the sonar today but it is a strong coincidence that the first no show in such a long period of time coincides with her presence off Strumble.