Wednesday 15 June 2022

Sea Trust/Cartlett Lady 5 hr Island Cruise.

 


 We left Neyland at 2 pm and headed out to sea through the Haven. Conditions were pretty calm, as we cleared the "Heads" and out into open water where we chanced on a couple of Porpoises.  It was a little overcast to begin with, brightening up as we headed out towards the Grassholm gannetry, passing by little groups of Guillemots Razorbills and Puffins. 



Arriving at Grassholm we made a leisurely circumnavigation, cameras clicking away, as we paused to get a good look at the nesting gannets, arranged in a geometric, peck away, pattern, The sky above thronged with flying gannets.which combined with the white covering of nesting gannets and guano, gives the impression of a blizzard covering the island with snow, from a distance  

Having watched Spring-watch and the outbreak of bird-flu' on the north east coast gannetrys, I had feared for them, but happily, saw no sign of sick or dead birds.It really must be the jewel in Pembrokeshires avian crown, filling all the senses with sight sound, also a bit of smell, although not so bad as it will be later in the breeding season!

Then back in towards Scomer, slowing to a walking pace as we arrived off the Garland Stone. Again we were again assailed by a cacophony of raucous sea birds, there can be no better demonstration of the health of our Pembrokeshire corner of the Atlantic, with almost every suitable nook, cranny, hole and ledge employed as nest sites by Auks, Kittiwakes Fulmars etc. Long may it remain so.





A brief look at the red sand stone cliffs of Skokholm and more auks and gulls left us a bit of time to make a wide arc back towards The haven in the hope of picking up more cetaceans, And we were not disappointed as Skipper Andrew, sighted a pod of Risso's Dolphins slowly making their way in our direction   We got some good views as they passed leisurely by, at a distance of a couple of hundred metres. we kept a distance as we shadowed them collecting and recording the data for our records, at least five individuals including what appeared to be a juvenile. And then back to Neyland, with a band of very happy punters! 







Sadly, the images are mine and not up to our usual standard as Ken Barnett was unable to join us on this trip.

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