We arrived at 11:00, ninety minutes after a high, spring tide, the sea surface smooth, and the rain
just gently spotting. We unpacked the equipment from the car as another Strumble observer, a
member of the public, told us how earlier that morning she had watched more dolphins than she had
ever seen here before, so we grew hopeful of some activity at least.
It didn’t take long: twenty or so gannets, circling and diving over the tide race, distant, but brilliant
white against the grey sky, led us to the first group of common dolphins. From then on numbers just
increased, until it seemed that whatever patch of the sea you pointed the binoculars you saw dolphins.
The porpoises were more elusive, and it was a while before we spotted the first, but more sightings
followed, in ones, twos, and threes, and, as the tide race moved closer to the shore, so they followed,
allowing us to take some photographs that would prove suitable for photo-identification of
individuals, which is the purpose of the survey.
The overall impression, with the large numbers of dolphins, porpoises, gannets, auks, seals, and
oystercatchers were evidence of a sea full of life and, in these days of constant reporting of ecological crisis,
we both felt heartened and very glad we had decided to come, despite doubts over the poor
weather forecast.
Jon.
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