Dolphins in the Clyde

[1114C]

Has anyone else noticed how many more there are than before - I admit to only been sailing in the Clyde now for three years but there seems to be loads more this year than last and last year in turn had more than 2002

On the way back from Tarbert yesterday there was not much wind so lots of time for looking around and had around 18 different sightings of them - is there anywhere anyone knows for finding our more re numbers and what they are?

Great to see them



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[nordic_ranger]

Don't know about Dolphins but have seen lots of Porpoise recently.

Jim.

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[Aja]

Tom

It could have been dolphins as there was a small school of them around Tarbert last year. More likely to have been Harbour porpoises - which are very common around these parts.

If the dolphins you saw yesteday actually leapt out of the water - then they were indeed dolphins. If they just broke the surface and you saw their backs then they would have been porpoises.

Great day yesterday right enough. Went for a wee cruise to Ardlamont and back.

Regards

Donald

ps just wait another month or so and every time you go to Tarbert in similar conditions keep a good lookout for a basking shark. Wonderful.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Donald_Beaton on 10/05/2004 13:46 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[cameronke]

Hello Tom
I have lived at Toward Point for the past ten years and have noticed a dramatic increase over the past three years. Mostly I have seen porpoise but on two spectacular occasions I have seen common (but apparently not that common) dolphin. I first saw them two years ago as I turned the corner at Toward and noticed something happening in the water about 100m off shore. There were about half a dozen common dolphin (recognisable, i think, by thier blue top surface and silver under surfaces) leeping out the water.

My most spectacular sighting was last summer when a pod (?) of about forty (yes FORTY!!!) passed Toward point from the Kyles and headed up river. There were so many I could not get an accurate guestimate but it was reported in the local paper as in excess of forty. Again they were leaping out the water like at some performers at a marine park.

Saw a couple of porpoise yesterday off Toward sailing club.

Kim, how about a forum here to report and record sightings of cetians and basking shark?

Regards to all
Cameron

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[Twister_Ken]

Reporting cetaceans

Academic and environmental types are interested. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again

 

[Gordonmc]

There's always a pod of harbour porpoises hanging around Portencross Point. I guess the fish tend to concentrate in the narrows there, between the Hunterstone peninsular and Wee Cumbrae.
The only time so far I have seen dolphins was on a trip back from the Holy Loch... they followed the boat to Toward. Basking sharks seem to be making a comeback, although don't tell Howard McCrindle!

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[PeteMcK]

On a calm day, you can scarcely move for porpoises this past year or two. They seem to be a bit less timid too. As a boy, my father spent all his summers with relatives who lived at the south end of Bute and he maintained that porpoises were very common all over the Firth until WW2 but, after that, you only came across the odd few around Arran. Until this year, I'd only seen dolphins south of Arran but saw about 6 off Ardyne last month. But are there fewer seals than there used to be? I don't think you see so many groups basking as, say, 10 years ago.

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[Aja]

Tom

Try <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.whales.gn.apc.org/index.shtml>this</A> web-site

Donald



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[broadcaster]

Hi,

I think the WWF doing a special project on Dolphins in Scotland. We adopted some a few months ago on the WWF website (www.wwf.org).

They are amazing when you see them in the wild, we saw some in the Solent a couple of years ago and it was so rare that it appeared in the local press.

Andy

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[broadcaster]

Hi,

I think the WWF doing a special project on Dolphins in Scotland. We adopted some a few months ago on the WWF website (www.wwf.org).

They are amazing when you see them in the wild, we saw some in the Solent a couple of years ago and it was so rare that it appeared in the local press.

Andy

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[1114C]

Thanks for the site references

Must be porpoises I am seeing but definitely more of them - very beautiful to see

Dolphins I now realise I have not seen but will keep an eye out for them now and for the basking sharks - need to go out in to more open water I suppose.

Definitely not many seals I thought too - ones basking off Ardlamont I think it was but other than that just one massive one off Toward

The Clyde must be getting cleaner which is definitely a good thing!

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[uforea]

We have often had seals in the upper reaches of the Humber and on the odd occasion a porpoise off the Humber. This year we have seen a group of three porpoise West of the Humber Bridge near Reed's Island for the last three weekends.When you see how muddy the waters of the Humber are this seems to be quite incredible but also reassuring that these waters are at last being cleaned up.

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[Sybarite]

<< If they just broke the surface and you saw their backs then they would have been porpoises. >>

Sorry have to disagree Donald. I would say that it is the exception rather than the rule for dolphins to leap out of the water.

John


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[Aja]

I've been sailing on the Clyde especially the Kyles for more years than I care to admit and I have never seen a dolphin - exception was a video my brother took from his boat of them leaping about Tarbert harbour for at least five minutes. My wife and I were down below on our boat having tea, and did not believe him until he showed us the video....

There are always a couple of seals off Ardlamont on the rocks. Comical to see them almost bent 'U' shaped to keep above the tide. Another favourite place for them is the south side of the Burnt Isles at the Narrows.

Porpoises are definitely getting friendlier. Once apon a time they would not come near a boat - now we have them diving under the boat and coming up the other side - especially when sailing.

Regards

Donald



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[Bejasus]

Was definitely dolphins we saw on 23rd Feb, between Rothesay Bay and Toward Point, and they were 'porpoising'/forums/images/icons/wink.gif around for ages. We got a good look at them from the ferry on the way over to Wemyss Bay.

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[Fin]

We've got more dolphins as well this year up at Lossiemouth. Last year was a bit of a dry period but virtually every weekend so far this season they've been out. Two weekends ago we had had about 10 playing around all the boats and throwing fish into the air, really distracting when you're racing but fantastic to see! The seals are getting more inquisitive as well and at the moment when you go out you'll generally see one or the other.

Fin

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[ronniewood]

Don't know about dolphins but we got in the middle of a group of 20 - 30 porpoises between Cumbrae and Bute about a week ago. Last year only saw half a dozen or so at a time.
Would appear the increase in numbers has followed the retiral of the sewage dumping ships from Shieldhall which deposited their lovely cargos south of Bute on a daily basis - the water seems to be getting much cleaner. Also have noticed an increase in the numbers of fish when we have the odd attempt to catch a few - guess that helps in attracting the visitors.

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[Spyro]

Anyone seen minke whales in the Clyde I am convinced I seen one last summer mid channel between Arran and the mainland. It caught my eye as it was falling back into the water after leaping out and it made a huge splash, it was much bigger than a dolphin or porpoise ( we have seen plenty of those) . My wife reckons I was suffering from sunstroke and imagined it. I have also heard of people sighting them from the Arran ferry. Can anyone convince me I was not imagining it?

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[BrendanS]

You can see both Minke and Basking shark near Arran. Have seen both there from ferry when I was a kid and lived in Scotland fior a while

<hr width=100% size=1>Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabris, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.

 

[cameronke]

Hello Spyro
There was the humpback whale that hung about the Clde ten years ago, it went as far up as the Tail o' the Bank and the fear was that some craft might inadvertantly "herd" it up the river. I believe it was last sited off Cumbrae heading out to sea

Sunstroke? on Arran? surely not!

Regards
Cameron

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by cameronke on 13/05/2004 09:45 (server time).</FONT></P>