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Tucked well back in the shelter of a Cornish Cave was a tiny  female seal pup  in trouble suffering from multiple bite wounds . She weighed in at just 17kilos and fortunately a kind member of the public called the "British Divers Marine Life Rescue 24 hour hotline" and a crack team of Marine Mammal Medics were sent to the rescue. The cliff team rescuers Dan and Chris scaled down the cliff and it wasn't long before she was assessed and  taken to Gweek's Cornish  Seal Sanctuary for rehabilitation. At this time of year the Grey Seals are pupping and breeding and the little weaners often get into trouble during the first few weeks of life as they are only under the protection of their mothers for the first three weeks of life. For information on what to do if you suspect a seal is in trouble please click on the link below:

http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/index.php?page=stranded-animals

Lots of exciting "Things to Do " this weekend at Newquay Harbour as Newquay Marine College will be hosting a fun and educational "Ocean Discovery Day" on Saturday16th March ,when second year Marine Conservation and Wildlife and the Media will be guiding FREE 1 hour sea safaris aboard "Atlantic Diver"…our superfast 10m Blyth Powerboat Catamaran. Marine Wildlife to spot for will be …breeding birds which have started returning to the coast , pairing up for that all important nesting event. Last Saturday 3 Bottlenose Dolphins were actively hunting and foraging in Newquay Bay and  "Medallion Man "..a semi resident Grey Seal to Newquay Harbour is back after leaving his winter haul out site. Take a look at the below poster and call Leyla to book onto trip before all the free places run out. Weather is looking promising so far and its a fun filled day with rockpool rambles, Cornwall seal group stall, Blue Reef guides and lots more…looking forward to seeing you all and do come and support our local students.

"https://docs.google.com/file/d/1LAdevCQoK0tG8_3Ea7q6rR4k0pB8yN6_qEQD7LwpVFu7_2D_qu_Ht2If5OVr/preview"

 any questions..add a comment below and we'll do our best to advise…happy boating..Annabelle

Sad news that a female seal pup that was rescued, rehabilitated and released back in the New Year by British Divers Marinelife Rescue Marine Mammal Medics and RSPCA West Hatch had turned up at Lundy Island….(a Special Area of Conservation and Marine Conservation Zone and idealic conditions  for Grey Seals)…with thick blue netting entangled around her neck. The Lundy Island Wardens were extremely concerned for her well being and through BDMLR and Sue Sayer of Cornwall Seal Group organised a visit to the island so that BDMLR Medics could attampt a rescue.

Medics gather at Ilfracombe about to board  the ferry the "Oldenberg" to cross the Bristol Channel to Lundy Island where the Wardens were investigating some blue netting they found on the beach which looked suspiciously like the netting around the seal's neck…could the seal have broken free….we spent the next 4 hours quietly observing the seals who were, logging, playing and hunting in breath takingly beautiful coves around the beaches . Photos were taken so that Sue Sayer who holds an enormous Photo ID data base of Grey Seals who attempt to id the seals to see if indeed the West hatch seal was finally free.

We watched as adult females and juveniles passed by…ahh what a lovely way to spend a day….we now await the results and thank all involved in the attempted rescue including the ferry staff .

Dave Jarvis our British Diver Marine life Rescue Co- ordinater sent out an urgent message to us today. Hundreds of Guillemots our beautiful local diving sea birds are washing into the South coast of cornwall covered in a sticky waxy secretion making it impossible for them to fly. Help is desperately needed to help rescue. Advise if you find an affected bird is to put on gloves place in a ventilated cardboard box and call dave Jarvis on 07774711949 to await instructions for removal to West Hatch RSPCA rescue centre.

More info on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-21275648

and on the BDMLR website:  http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/index.php?mact=News%2Ccntnt01%2Cdetail%2C0&cntnt01articleid=918&cntnt01origid=54&cntnt01returnid=54

For those of you who remember Leyla …our gorgeous and brainy Marine Student Wildlife Guide well she has been busy this winter compiling her "Atlantic Diving" and " Newquay Sea Safaris and Fishing" work experince to display at The Newquay Marine College  Atlantic Centre. We had a great day up there learning what the students had done over the summer, but of course we think Leyla's was best. Well done Leyla…top student!!

Farmer

Stags out on 2 Hour Mackerel Newquay Fishing Trip with Atlantic Diver ..Boat looks great in the Harbour with plenty of room for stags…Two of the semi resident grey seals Dr Who and Trunk visit the boat

Dr Who is so Gorgeous…then stags out to see again

Came across this amazing pod of Common Dolphins whilst on route to a dive this week….how lucky are we!! They were hunting around us for about 2 hours and played with "Atlantic Diver " on and off whilst we waited for the slack water…what beautiful creatures, we are so lucky to live in Newquay and experience the marine wildlife here…the dolphins were looking up at the divers as they looked down over the bow of the boat and turning on their sides eyeballing right back again…awesome ….just awesome…!!!!

https://vimeo.com/69387992   Jay one of our divers videoed as they swam or should I say flew across our Bow Wave. He edited all of our collective footage and produced this amazing footage for us to share with you guys..thanks Jay..we love it

We are Master WiSe ( Wildlife Safe) boat operator which means we watch wildlife without causing disturbance, so it was great to watch them hunt from a distance and then they interacted with us when they wanted to….and they were curious…this is the best way to watch wildlife so you don't interfer with their feeding..its so rewarding to watch their hunting techniques.

 Amy then saw the Dolphin turn on its side and look right back up at her….this is always a tearful moment when you get direct eye contact with a Dolphin

 Chris giving his safety talk….trying to look cool for the pic

 Beautiful Gannets also passed by and a few blue jellyfish further off shore.

 and as always lovely Trunk back home in newquay Harbour….Trunk came over to investigate the camera

Fish Identifying Course took place in Newquay today and WOW!! what an amazing find…4 Giant Gobies. These fish were carefully ID ed and returned unharmed to their rockpool at an undisclosed site in Newquay. Course members helped pull a fish gathering Seine Net at the mouth of Newquay harbour and found species such as Brill, Plaice, Weaver Fish, Smelt, Shrimps and sand eel.

Lucky Anglers aboard "Atlantic Diver" on a Deep Sea Fishing Trip accidently caught a huge sunfish as it became entangled underwater around its dorsal fin by the anglers line . It was quickly disentangled and then released unharmed and swam away well. Our Skipper Chris Lowe said " it was huge! They are so weird looking!"

it measured about one and a half metres in length and weighed approximately 50lbs. It was so heavy they struggled to bring it onboard . 

Sunfish are not resident in the UK as they require temperatures of 10 degrees so usually live in tropical or temperate seas above 10 degrees. They come  across from the Mediterranean and feed on the jellyfish that we have been seeing here for the past few weeks as the plankton develops.Feeding  on squid, crustacean and small fish they can be swimming anywhere in the water column , so our divers and snorkeling passengers usually see them on reefs or wrecks but our Sea Safari passengers usually see them when they come up to the surface of the sea as they lie on their side , dorsal fin flapping and bask in the sun. Seabirds often peck at the parasites on them which sunfish tolerate as a mutual symbiotic behavior.

We have been seeing them everyday for the past week as well as Dolphins most days. This was a really rare and fantastic moment to share with our passengers….Don't you just love living and working in Cornwall.

Records of this have been sent to Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Dough Herdson a fish specialist here in Cornwall.

Trips for Fishing and Sea Safaris to spot for sunfish are going daily from Newquay Harbour 

to book please call dave on

07582 466 122

20th April 2011 Set to sea again in glorious April sunshine..positively Tropical!! Gary caught most unusual species of the day with ling and a male Cuckoo Wrasse but plenty more came in to throw on the B_B_Q. We passed commercial fisherman Gary on route working on his boat Shannon…a Newquay potting boat. We could see glimpses of crabs and lobsters …good catch Gary!