News
Your invitation to take part in the UK Orca Watch event 2018
Stunning close-up images and video footage of killer whales have recently been reported on social media. Observers in Scotland and Shetland have been witnessing orcas travelling very close to the shore, and lucky ferry passengers were amazed to spot them frolicking in the waters in the River Clyde. The scientists at Sea Watch Foundation are very pleased to realize how positively the general public responds to these encounters and how much they enjoy getting involved in reporting sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises around the UK.
The time and dedication our volunteer sea watchers have spent searching for these species and the subsequent reporting of sightings have allowed the Sea Watch Foundation to improve the knowledge and understanding about the population status of local cetacean species around the British Isles. The Sea Watch Foundation is very proud of the time, energy and effort, that has gone into reporting public sightings which are the backbone of their national database which spans over four decades.
At the end of May, the Pentland Firth welcomes back the charity’s annual Orca Watch event during which the North coast is visited by hundreds of whale enthusiasts, tourists and local media wanting to witness the passage of killer whales close to shore.
Now in its 7th year this event originated from the collaboration between Sea Watch Foundation and their Regional Coordinator Colin Bird. With the possibility of underwater turbines installed in the area, a decision was made to establish a seasonal watch to gather information on how killer whales use this area and what might be the consequences of such an installation.
The 2018 event takes place from May 26th to June 2nd where people from all walks of life are invited to join the dedicated volunteers for watches throughout this time. There will be observers stationed at Duncansby Head, the main view point, but people will also conduct watches in Orkney and Shetland (times and locations can be found online at www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/orca-watch-2018.
There will also be observers onboard the John O’Groats ferry connecting mainland to Orkney. This is an open event and anyone interested is welcome to reach the organized land watches at any time during the day, but people are also free to look out for whales and collate sightings anywhere else along the coast, and of course if they see anything, Sea Watch would love to hear about it! Sightings should be reported here www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/sightingsform.
“We are so lucky in Caithness to be able to sight different cetacean species so close to shore!” says Anna Jemmett, Sea Watch regional coordinator and lead volunteer and organiser of this year’s event.
“For me, Orca Watch Week is about involving people and allowing them to experience something they never though they could be part of, it is about collecting vital data for the protection and conservation of orcas and other local cetacean species, and it is about sharing this magical event with people from all other the country and have fun all together!” continues Anna.
Killer whales photographed from the land during Orca Watch. Photo by Colin Bird / Sea Watch Foundation
The north coast of Scotland is one of the best places to see whales, dolphins, porpoise and many different seabird species in the UK. As well as the orca, many other species of whale and dolphin can be seen from the shore including the common minke and humpback whale, Risso’s, common and white-beaked dolphins and the harbour porpoise. For the bird aficionados, sightings of razorbills, puffins, fulmars, great skuas, and terns are possible too. If you live locally and want to organize your own land or boat watches the recording forms can be found online – www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/recording-and-submitting-sightings and please get in touch with Sea Watch if you have any questions about it.
Sea Watch Foundation is also very proud to announce an evening of whale talks on May 26th at 7pm, at the Pultney Peoples Centre in Wick during the Orca watch. The guest speaker for the evening is Marie Mrusczok from Orca Guardians, an independent conservation non-profit dedicated to the protection of orcas in Iceland, who is going to provide valuable insight into the seasonal movements of orcas between Iceland and Scotland.
Killer whales photographed from the land during Orca Watch. Photo by Colin Bird / Sea Watch Foundation
Full details of all Orca Watch events can be found here:
- www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/orca-watch-2018
- www.facebook.com/seawatchfoundation
- Twitter: @SeaWatchersUK #SWFOrcaWatch
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
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MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
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SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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