I spend a lot of time searching for a favourable forecast looking for good calm days to get out from Neyland to the Celtic Deep. Unless the sea is calm there is little point in doing a survey as we will miss animals in anything other than a relatively calm sea.These also have to be dates when Andy Rickard , skipper of the lovely "Cartlett Lady" is available to take us out there.
On Sunday it looked like Friday might just meet the bill, but the weather systems this year have been particularly volatile and I have had to cancel two of the five trips I have planned this summer. I have a list of peolple who are willing to pay towards the cost of hiring the boat, who I email when a trip looks likely. This allows for our Sea Trust Survey team to get out there and do a survey. Its the greenest of eco tourism. The supporters pay and get a day that they may well remember for the rest of their lives. We add data to our 20 years worth of surveys.
So one way and another the forecast continued to show a narrow weather window for Friday and so our people gathered at the Marina Cafe for a 10am sailing. The weather was promising and we set off out of the Haven into quite a lumpy dying swell, although the waves were reasonably small, not perfect but not bad and with little or no wind. We motored out south but apart from a mother and calf Porpoise pair, little was seen until a couple of hours later, 25 miles out from the Haven when splashes and a frenzy of feeding Manx Shearwater drew us towards the commotion. Only for it to go quiet as we approached. Typical Blue fin Tuna behaviour, quite frustrating but a relatively new phenomenon of recent years. At least one breached as we approached, confirming the record, before all went quiet.
A couple of more Bluefin encounters and then we hit the jackpot with an extended pod of around 300+ common dolphins. They followed us playing around the boat with smaller pods joining as we progressed, giving the supporters great camera shots of the Dolphins and hundreds of Manx Shearwaters. A Minke Whale was spotted a couple of times and then showed quite close to the boat giving a great view before dissappearing.
It was great to see so many Shearwaters and small pods of Common Dolphins adding to our tally as the afternon sun shone down on us and the sea continued to settle. We progressed in an eastward course bringing us in view of Lundy Island within the outer Bristol Channel. More Dolphins and then another Minke was sighted. It was in relatively shallow water and as it moved away its progress made it easy to follow as it created surface disturbances betraying its presence just below the surface. From Kens observations there were actually two!More great photo opportunities as it/they surfaced again and again! Aother Minke was then spotted much further out, heading in the oposite direction!
Then more Dolphins, including mothers with rugby ball sized new born babies. Hundreds more Shearwaters and then the run in back to Neyland, around Linney Head passing the Castle Martin ranges and Freshwater West adding more Dolphins. A couple more Porpoise.rounded the day off nicely before we entered the Milford Haven. As we passed Thorn Island we came off effort ending a remarkable survey before heading back to our berth in the Marina.
A fantastic day was had by all which I am sure Kenny will illustrate with some great images. Thanks to Hannah Harries for recording all the 23 seperate encounters = 705 Common Dolphins 4 Minke Whales, +4 porpoises. Thanks also to supporters; Rachel, Janette, Rich, Drew also Stevo, and Eagle eyed skipper Andy, plus crew Steve and Rob... WOW!!!
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