We traveled down last night and after boarding P&O ferry the Pride of Bilbao we departed late due to weather difficulties on the previous sailing.
Progressed well overnight to find us approaching the Ushant coastline of France by breakfast time so we (Dave, Peter, Dave, John & Helen) set up base camp on deck 8 for a day’s observation at sea. Weather was partial cloud and sunny with a strong southerly wind but only moderate waves so not too bad for those with weaker stomachs and as we skirted past one or two rain showers amongst the commoner species seen as we entered the northern part of the Bay of Biscay we managed to pick out single Grey Phalarope, Great Skua, Cory’s Shearwater and a few Storm Petrels.
Just after 5pm we passed over the continental shelf in to very deep water and soon had our first sightings of Common Dolphins with one pod passing under the ship which included a mother and calf and this was then followed by a school of 12 Bottled-nosed Dolphins close to ship and a run of Fin Whale sightings involving at least 44 individuals of which two came under the ship from the starboard side to surface just yards away. Pete Hall was pretty quick in running off a few shots before they disappeared.
Other cetacean sightings were the blow of a Sperm whale ahead of the ship in the company of 2 two Fin Whale but it dived as we approached and, two dolphins seen under the surface emerging from underneath the ship may have been Risso’s. Other sightings in this active period were Sunfish 3, Common Tern 5 and Whimbrel 2 flying south while starboard side had 6 Cory’s and single Great Shearwater but we made no attempt to see them being more than satisfied with what we achieving. We enjoyed an excellent meal before settling down to a few beers.
Richard
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