How to get your boat featured on the TV news

ProDave

ProDave

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A few weeks back, me and SWMBO were out for a sail. There was mention by the CG of a pod of Pilot Wales in the Beauly Firth. We didn't venture under the bridge that day. But a small mobo did, and shortly after we heard the CG call that mobo on CH16 but they got no response.

Today on the Scottish news there was an article about boats, wales and dolphins, and there was footage of that very mobo, clearly filmed that day, heading straight into the pod of wales, not making any attempt even to go around them.
 
a pod of Pilot Wales
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Were these Cardiff flyers?

Don't be too harsh on the sailors. I've sailed through pods of Orcas several times. You can be just sailing along happy as can be and suddenly you are surrounded. But we're in a sailboat and unlikely to do any damage (physical or psychological) to the whales. They just swim by without notice. (Not like those horrible motor boats, that last week smacked into a humpback whale at 22 knots.) The whole beauty of sailing is to immerse yourself in nature, and that includes getting up close with the swimming mammals.
 
Many years ago I threw out my anchor just before going down a set of rapids on the Ottawa River. The fire department sent out their RIB and rescued me, and then a boat from the club came out to retrieve my boat. After all was safe on shore, the local TV crew came out and asked if I wanted to take the boat out there again to get on the news.
 
Foolish Muse said:
Many years ago I threw out my anchor just before going down a set of rapids on the Ottawa River. The fire department sent out their RIB and rescued me, and then a boat from the club came out to retrieve my boat. After all was safe on shore, the local TV crew came out and asked if I wanted to take the boat out there again to get on the news.
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Was it Foolish Nuse?:p
 
ProDave said:
A few weeks back, me and SWMBO were out for a sail. There was mention by the CG of a pod of Pilot Wales in the Beauly Firth. We didn't venture under the bridge that day. But a small mobo did, and shortly after we heard the CG call that mobo on CH16 but they got no response.

Today on the Scottish news there was an article about boats, wales and dolphins, and there was footage of that very mobo, clearly filmed that day, heading straight into the pod of wales, not making any attempt even to go around them.
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Disregarding the bit about wales, I saw that bit of film on TV tonight, and immediately realised that the apparent proximity of the boat to the pilot whales, was almost certainly because it was filmed with a telephoto lense.

Anyone who is accustomed to being in waters where there are whales and dolphins, knows that the animals come just as close to you as THEY like.
 
Those Pilot Whales sure did make the usual resident Dolphins disappear for a few days, didn't they!
I was out on the 'Dolphin Spirit', the Dolphin watching boat from Inverness marina a couple of days afterwards, and the cruise guide said that there'd been 30 pilot whales monitoring one of them, as it beached itself near the Munlochy Firth entrance, and was then euthanised by experts. It was feared that there's be a mass beaching of them, but once the creature had died, the pod just swam away.
My daughter was over from Australia during that time, and still hasn't seen a Dolphin here yet, after 4 years, and several sails! Her sister, over from Brisbane last year, saw so many that she got bored with them!
 
jamie N said:
Those Pilot Whales sure did make the usual resident Dolphins disappear for a few days, didn't they!
I was out on the 'Dolphin Spirit', the Dolphin watching boat from Inverness marina a couple of days afterwards, and the cruise guide said that there'd been 30 pilot whales monitoring one of them, as it beached itself near the Munlochy Firth entrance, and was then euthanised by experts. It was feared that there's be a mass beaching of them, but once the creature had died, the pod just swam away.
My daughter was over from Australia during that time, and still hasn't seen a Dolphin here yet, after 4 years, and several sails! Her sister, over from Brisbane last year, saw so many that she got bored with them!
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I haven't seem much of the Dolphins at all this year. Only the one sighting, and very unusually that was just outside Avoch harbour in quite shallow water as we were taking the sails down to go back into the harbour.
 
Surely it's ok for dolphins etc to approach you as they are in control and not being intimidated which is completely wrong.
The clip that was on TV this week appeared to be a boat going through the pod!
The only dolphins porpoises or seals that I have seen have been totally in charge of how close they came.
In one instance we were in a line of boats and as each one arrived at a certain point the pod arrived it seemed that the leader came alongside made eye contact and then they put on a performance ending with their leader come back with his hat! And then on to the next boat.
 
There is a code of practice up here that you should never approach them, let them come to you, which they often do. There is no doubt they are inquisitive about boats and like to have a look. Sailing along with them swimming alongside is a joy.

Saw them again today, same place, just outside the harbour in shallow water as we were taking the sails down to go back in. Next time if we want to see them i'll just pootle out, heave to and wait.......
 
ProDave said:
There is a code of practice up here that you should never approach them, let them come to you, which they often do. There is no doubt they are inquisitive about boats and like to have a look. Sailing along with them swimming alongside is a joy.

Saw them again today, same place, just outside the harbour in shallow water as we were taking the sails down to go back in. Next time if we want to see them i'll just pootle out, heave to and wait.......
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Most of the time, they really are a joy to have alongside; however, I was motoring from Cromarty to Fortrose last year, early morning with the 1st coffee of the day in my hand, the sea absolutely flat, and a pod of half a dozen cruising along with me, giving 'peace' for my Cromarty bred hangover. One of the Dolphins then did the spectacular 'leap & splash', the water splashing into my coffee cup! Big Basil Fawlty from me, pointing at the Dolphin, big swear and pout.....! As sanity returned, I did praise my fortune in having a situation where a Dolphin could annoy me about a cup of coffee!
Bit soggy yesterday afternoon Dave?
 
jamie N said:
Bit soggy yesterday afternoon Dave?
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The trouble with this sailing lark is you have to go when you and crew (swmbo) are available and tides are right (in our case) to get in and out of the harbour. If we waited also for perfect weather we might not sail at all.

We had a decent sail before the rain. We then spent an hour in the cabin, completely becalmed under the torential downpour eating our lunch drifting over the Skate bank. when the rain passed the wind came back and we had some more decent sailing. As we were motoring into the harbour the rain came back again.
 
I saw my first ever Minke Whale in Loch Fyne this year near Tarbert. Nevber having seen one previously I don't properly know whether it was engaging with us or just happened to be nearby. It was rising to the surface and then going deeper for a minute or two and then rolling past again in a rise and dive manouevre about 15 to 20 metres away from us. Went on for about 10 minutes. Sort of majestic!
 
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