Fran and I had just enjoyed an excellent Sunday tea with friends in St Nicholas, but Bryn the dog needed a bit of excercise, so we decided to go to Strumble. As I walked down to the lookout I saw what I at first took to be a seal bottling close in. It took a second glance to realise it was a Risso's Dolphin.It was the closest to shore I have ever seen them, no more than twenty metres from the shore below me.
Sadly it was getting dark and overcast, poor conditions for my camera but I got a few shots. Better still the Chick Family were there and young Iris who along with the family is going around the UK coast for a sail training charity for underprivelidged youngsters , were also there. They had visited the Ocean Lab in the morning and Iris was so enthusiastic I took them to Strumble where Ken had given them a complete history of Pembrokeshire Cetaceans and Sea Trust! He must have inspired them as despite no porpoises they were still there! Having missed out on porpoises in the morning, which I would have normally almost gauranteed, they had been enjoying an incredible close up show by the Risso's for the past hour!
I had missed the best but was pleased thy had seen them, after a little while the Risso's , two perhaps three moved off as the dusk closed in. If only they came in this close all of the time!
Its worth pointing out the "Chick" (its their name) family are circumnavigating the UK in this 1967 Moggie Woodie (Morris Minor Traveller 1000) they converted themselves! Somehow it sleeps the five of them. There is a cooker, shower, the whole kit and caboodle, they even grow salad leaves and herbs on the outside! Even more astounding, the five of them are living off ten pounds a day, including petrol for the Moggie!
Great people doing something really adventurous and worthwhile, well worth giving them a wave or a helping hand if you see them!
