Strumble Diary 07/10/2018

A lovely sunny start to the morning as I arrived at Strumble but high cloud soon moved in giving a softer more even light. A few brief sightings of porpoise off mackerel point just before the tide race formed and that turned out to be the most I would see of them. However out to the NW in the direction where the porpoise normally come in from the gannets were really going for it. A closer look revealed twenty to thirty common dolphin feeding vigorously right across the ebb tide surge pushing out in front of me. They stayed out there feeding for nearly two hours and gradually moved a bit closer before rushing off en mass to the west. It was some time after they left before the porpoise ventured into the distant reaches of the now streaming tide race but sadly not close enough for any images. With no further action pending I ventured over to the lighthouse to see if there were any seal pups still in the coves and to see if that tangle damaged adult was around. Just one pup present and it looks like it's about ready to leave within the next few days and no sign of the other.