Lovely sightings off West Cork in balmy Spring weather…

This last week has afforded us some lovely sightings in relatively calm seas…but the sun was shining…most of the time!

Good Minke Whale activity with 2/3 animals feeding actively and attracting large numbers of Gannets and Manx Shearwaters. Minke whale activity was also reported by Rory Jackson over a week ago south of Toe Head while he was delivering a yacht west of Castletowshend. We had a single animal breach south of the Kedges a week ago. Animals seen as far apart as Rosscarbery Bay in the east to Cape Clear in the west.

Basking Shark numbers increasing nicely in this sunny weather. Some big fellas around too. In Roaringwater Bay and south of the islands. These leviathans also draw lots of interest being the second largest fish in the world and reaching lengths locally up to 7 metres in length.

Lovely Common Dolphin activity. These were also reported by Michéal Cottrell having been seen south of Spain Point some days ago. Encountered a small group of 5 animals well south of The Kedges yesterday having been alerted by the Gannet activity in the area to the south. This is early for Common Dolphins as we don’t usually see them in any numbers inshore until late July and into August.

Good Harbour Porpoise numbers being spotted throughout the area. These shy little whales always create interest when we spot them as you tend to see them only on their terms. One of six species of Porpoises in the world, all of which except the Dall’s Porpoise studiously avoid boats and people and engines. The smallest whale in the world is a porpoise, the Gulf of California Porpoise or Vaquita…tragically likely to follow the Yangtze River Dolphin into extinction during the next decade.

Among several Humpback sightings being reported during the last few days from east of Galley Head as far west as Baltimore Bay we had one animal south of Rabbit Island earlier in the week and a suspected sighting well south of The Kedges. Lovely to see these charismatic animals in the area.