Dolphins return
Today, May 25th, we set out with 3 guides and a good number of passengers. Our guides for the day were head guide – Ruth, Duncan who has returned for his 3rd season and Andy. I usually poke fun at Andy about his amazing long range vision in seeing things that we never see – I was to eat my words later!
We steamed past Sea Eagle point where they were unusually absent today probably due to the weather conditions -a heavy drizzle with visibility down to about 1.5 miles – lovely! Yet again a day of radar, plotter and compass work in my wheelhouse.
Soon a feeding group of porpoise were sighted so engines were cut and we drifted amongst them. We could see them swimming around and under us with grace and ease, making their ‘puffing pig’ noises as they blow (breathe).
A couple of hours later, steaming through this grey wall of nothingness but wetness and long rolling swells, a shout of ‘Dolphin!’ came from the whale deck. There was an air of excitement as we could see what looked like a series of torpedoes gunning straight for us. As we kept our speed they hurtled into our bow wave and proceeded to surf it, streak under the boat and generally cavort around us. They leaped and played with beauty and agility. There were about 40 of them in all, including 2 juveniles. There were woops of joy and many a tear-filled eye as our passengers tried to come to terms with this extraordinary spectacle. See footage filmed on board by andy by following the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXv8zUExpbQ
We left the dolphins and steamed further afield to other whale grounds – still wet, grey and cold. After concentrated searches across an area that was full of promise with right conditions, plenty of food, birds feeding and the inevitable bonxie harassing all, it was time to return home. Then a trumpet like shout from Andy –‘ Whale!’ He gave me a direction and distance off that seemed impossible. We slowly steamed to that spot seemingly so far away, cut engines, drifted and then a whole chorus from passengers of – ‘Whale!’
He was right yet again; there she was an adult Minke (stinkie as we now call them!).
Suddenly, as if to smile upon us, the sun came out and we returned home – with laughter and lifted hearts.
We steamed past Sea Eagle point where they were unusually absent today probably due to the weather conditions -a heavy drizzle with visibility down to about 1.5 miles – lovely! Yet again a day of radar, plotter and compass work in my wheelhouse.
Soon a feeding group of porpoise were sighted so engines were cut and we drifted amongst them. We could see them swimming around and under us with grace and ease, making their ‘puffing pig’ noises as they blow (breathe).
A couple of hours later, steaming through this grey wall of nothingness but wetness and long rolling swells, a shout of ‘Dolphin!’ came from the whale deck. There was an air of excitement as we could see what looked like a series of torpedoes gunning straight for us. As we kept our speed they hurtled into our bow wave and proceeded to surf it, streak under the boat and generally cavort around us. They leaped and played with beauty and agility. There were about 40 of them in all, including 2 juveniles. There were woops of joy and many a tear-filled eye as our passengers tried to come to terms with this extraordinary spectacle. See footage filmed on board by andy by following the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXv8zUExpbQ
We left the dolphins and steamed further afield to other whale grounds – still wet, grey and cold. After concentrated searches across an area that was full of promise with right conditions, plenty of food, birds feeding and the inevitable bonxie harassing all, it was time to return home. Then a trumpet like shout from Andy –‘ Whale!’ He gave me a direction and distance off that seemed impossible. We slowly steamed to that spot seemingly so far away, cut engines, drifted and then a whole chorus from passengers of – ‘Whale!’
He was right yet again; there she was an adult Minke (stinkie as we now call them!).
Suddenly, as if to smile upon us, the sun came out and we returned home – with laughter and lifted hearts.
posted by Sea Life Surveys at
4:07 pm
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