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Slightly choppier conditions took the chum far and wide and attracted 1 small Blue Shark to Atlantic Diver today. Dolphins were still porpoising around the boat but at a greater distance and in less numbers than before. 15 Storm petrels danced across the tops of the waves and Fulmars lined up to steal the chum. Our journey home again was enhanced by the playful Common Dolphins..three swam into our bow wave and crossed from the fast cat’s bulbs and shot forwards leaping out of the water in turns. Returning to the harbour the Seals were following the boat in and the Gig boats were launching for practise. The Commercial potting boats were landing their crab and lobster and the lifeboat launched to rescue visitors cut off by the tide. Never a dull moment.

Bounty was out fishing off Newquay yesterday when eagled eyed skipper Ant spotted an awesome  7m “Basking Shark!”….Passengers were treated to “up close and personal” views from deckside …Ant called skipper Chris who was out on a Sea Safari aboard “Atlantic Diver”…who redesignated his passengers as shark spotters and went to look for it. The huge dorsal fin was spotted first followed by sighting of a second smaller shark. They fed mouths open wide in circular movements gentley and quietly together to the delight of the lucky passengers.

The sightings of Basking Sharks have been down generally around the Western UK coastline by an average of 35% this year due perhaps to the lack of zoo plankton at surface, on which the sharks feed. It may be that the sharks are feeding deeper down , so we are not spotting their fins breaking surface . Many are turning up in Scotland, so more likely they have moved on through following a richer food source. All of this means that yesterday’s skippers and passengers were the incredibly lucky to see such a rare sighting!!

We launched a shark expedition later that evening but the sharks had gone down…however we were treated to an extremely close view of a Sunfish . Spotted by Tricia .Sadly it had an injury to its right fin but it came right up close to our stern and stopped to watch us watching it…People watching….brilliant!!

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Wow wow wow Newquay Sea Safaris and Fishing has been enjoying  spectacular sightings of the rare Risso’s Dolphins in Newquay Bay for nearly a week.

 

Lucky passengers saw 6 animals including 2 calves feed around our wildlife watching boat Atlantic Diver as we waited for a dive , engines switched off so we didn’t disturb them . It was a breath takingly  beautiful moment to see these 4m plus giants feed and breach out of the water right in front of Tolcarne beach 

Cetaceans often feed in the bay and are vulnerable to disturbance as we have a great deal of watersports and watercraft activity during peak season. 

We hope that all will respect the animals that come to feed here so that generations to come enjoy them as we have done today . 

Further sightings of these spectacular cetaceans can be shared up to Cornwall Wildlife Trust online at Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 

http://erccis.org.uk/

So that the population health and behaviour can be observed . 

The Marine Conservation Society Ocean Ambassador Deborah Meadon and Peter Richardson Head of Ocean Recovery also experienced the Risso’s as they cruised offshore through Newquay’s Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) . 

Peter heads the MCS MCZ campaign and urged us to support the Preposed 41 new MCZs , 8 of which are suggested to be sites around Cornwall.

Please support their campaign and sign up to help set up protection for the feeding grounds for these spectacular animals. In Newquay and The Gannel it is the seabed that is protected and potting, netting and line fishing continue to do well as healthy seabed mean healthy habitats for marine life to thrive and therefore benefits the marine mammals as well as the fishers.

 

https://www.mcsuk.org/campaigns/new-41-marine-conservation-zones

 

We are Master WiSe accredited ( wildlife Safe) and advise all on the water or cliffs to follow the excellent advise re wildlife watching 

https://www.wisescheme.org/

It’s helpful to record any disturbance to the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code Group who look for areas to improve education about our Cornish Marine Wildlife and ultimately aim to protect it . 

The “feel good factor” continues for our passengers throughout our unusually warm summer as we see Sunfish , Dolphins , Seals and seabirds on becalmed seas and blue skies .

This week was the Cornwall Seal Group and Research Trust Seal Census days so hopefully our colleagues around the coast are enjoying some great sightings too. #LoveNewquay 

Had a great time Sat 30th April aboard the Bounty, started with Mackerel, Dogfish , Red Gurnard & then the Cod arrived along with a 7lb pollack and this stunning 4lb 2oz Black Bream.
Thanks to all for a lovely time.

 

Gorgeous Pregnant Female Grey Seal hauled out on rocks during sea safari today during which we released another 3000 Lobster Larvae from the Padstow Lobster Hatchery.

This seal was keeping rear flippers out of the sea to keep warm.

The Lobsters are packed into seperate cells to prevent them damaging each other.

Then scooped up and sent down a Lobster Log Flume to the rocky sea bed. These were about 8-12 weeks old. All of the hard work of the fishermen donating berried lobbies and the staff at the Lobster Hatchery combined with these releases help with the sustainability of the Potting industry here in Cornwall. Its a great addition as a special Newquay Sea Safari…Passengers then wen t on to enjoy the Grey Seals hauled out…we also saw Barrel Jellyfish and Sunfish all in the same day.

 

 

This Amazing SHARK …was caught whilst on a fishing trip off Newquay on board "Atlantic Explorer"  today. Skipper Derek Applewhite said it was about 5 feet long and weighed approximately 35lbs. The anglers were only a short distance offshore when the chance catch happened as they were trying to catch any bottom fish species such as pollack and cod. They were using mackerel as bait.

A total of 8 Tope ranging in sizes between 12 to 35lbs came in in a very short period.

All were handled carefully ,released from the hook and returned to the sea as quickly as possible.

All details were sent to the Shark Trust .

Especially interesting as Annabelle has just been made a Shark Trust Trustee.

Atlantic Diver also had a great day with a chance sighting ,for divers on board ,of these Celtic Bottlenose Dolphins in Newquay Bay whilst on commute to the wreck.

link to dolphin video

http://youtu.be/HYbtUHfL7uE

Well what a week…there has been a massive Jellyfish Hype with Barrel jellies being the main star of the show..the BBC, Sunday Times, Childrens' BBC and Skye T.V…all filming off "Atlantic Diver"  in Newquay Bay this week…phew ..no pressure to find them then!!

The huge Bell is approximately 1m in diameter and its 8 arms have cauliflower appearance with oral offices at the ends. its reputed to NOT sting but I can tell you that it definitely gives an agitation to the skin a little less than a nettle sting….easily soothed with scraping area in one direction then applying vinegar.

John Maguire BBC Presenter , Peter Richardson from the Marine Conservation Society and Ross James..camerman all donned wetsuits and invetsigated the Jellyfish up-close-and -personal. It aired on prime time BBC Morning Breakfast Time several times during the morning

 

We had an immensly enjoyable Sea Safari for the St Agnes Marine Conservation Group this week. The sun was shining all the way to St Agnes and all manner of Breeding Sea Birds were out including this Bridled Guillemot. Its the first time I've seen one this far West. It was sitting on the ocean in a small raft of Guilies just waiting to be spotted. Our sighting has been sent off to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust as we are a Master Wise acredited boat operator.

Beautiful Juvenile Gannet was resting after feeding.

All proceeds being donated back to the Conservation Group by us so that they can continue their good works of Marine Education to the general public.

The sun began to set as we cruised back into Newquay Harbour and enabled us to catch this beautiful image of Ben our son and Jessica our daughter rod and line fishing for mackerel, in the bay…..Epic!! day with freshly caught silver darlings for late supper

 

Ben Lowe recovered meters and meters of trawl net from the sea in the past few days. imagine what damage this debri can do to our wildlife …thanks Ben and all of the Newquay Fishermen and Potters who give their time to clearing the litter out of the ocean.