Porpoises spotted in Mudway

Billy Blue

Billy Blue

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I saw 2 porpoises yesterday just Thames side of Rochester Bridge (just by Acorn Shipyard)!
I have often seen a seal this far up but never a porpoise before.
 
A bit political a bit boring ?

The good old Mudway. A very appropriate title for those not familiar with the river is much cleaner now than it has been for many years.
The decline of the heavy industry which once lined its banks,such as Cement,paper and chemicals plus eco legislation, much of it enforced by european standards,has been responsible.
Legislation also stopped a local water company from dumping semi treated raw sewage into the river.The smell and visual effects would simply not be tolerated these days.
The local fishermans organisation ROFF has noted the return of many species of fish,however eels,once the only living thing to survive immersion in the Medway are extremely rare and subject to a no take policy.
All the local fishing charter fleet also have a keep only what you need and return the rest policy,some of the best specimens are simply photographed and put back in the water.
The world really is waking up to the fact we need to take of what we have and if that means no deadly chemicals in A/F or complusory holding tank in freshwater thats fine by me. :)
Porpoises were once a common sight in the Medway, they have been present in the lower Thames around Gravesend for some time.

The next big problem ...... livaboards, its not the odd narrowboat,its a concentration of houseboats putting sewage into the river such as the marina at Hoo.
The local yacht club frequently has turds and other stuff adoring its "slip"way.:(
Its always somebody elses problem of course Peel Ports and the other authorities all pointing the fingers at each other.
 
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Billy Blue said:
I saw 2 porpoises yesterday just Thames side of Rochester Bridge (just by Acorn Shipyard)!
I have often seen a seal this far up but never a porpoise before.
Click to expand...

We have seen them on the tidal Trent at West Stockwith, so a fair way up river from the sea. They also frequent the tidal Ouse so it isn't uncommon.

Lovely to see.
 
Ramage said:
As a non-Tidal Thames type I was quite shocked when MDL Chatham said they had no pump-out facility........
Click to expand...

It was mooted some time ago that if the demand was there a pump out would be installed.
However after some investigation the demand simply was not there.
Nearly all the boats in the marina are sea going and very unlikely to have holding tanks and boaters not berthing in the marina would be very reluctant to have to lock in and out merely for the opportunity to cough up a tenner to empty the bog.
Hence the situation .
 
Re: A bit political a bit boring ?

oldgit said:
The next big problem ...... livaboards, its not the odd narrowboat,its a concentration of houseboats putting sewage into the river such as the marina at Hoo.
The local yacht club frequently has turds and other stuff adoring its "slip"way.:(
Its always somebody elses problem of course Peel Ports and the other authorities all pointing the fingers at each other.
Click to expand...

NIMBY:D:D:D
 
Re: A bit political a bit boring ?

I know of 3 large Dutch barge liveaboards that have migrated down there this year from The Thames.
No No.....no need to thank us:)
 
Boat Density

Suspect it will become more difficult for livaboards to find public mooring space on the Thames,simply due to the pressure of more and more, larger/longer vessels competing with each other for the limited spaces available.
Some displacement is going to occur.
Am going to suspect that the number of boats round here on the Medway is greater per river mile than the Thames and the amount of river bank mooring available , both public and private will certainly be less per boat.
Another factor is that the amount of river bank where a boat can remain undetected,is certainly much smaller before being disturbed.
Thames 125 miles. 9000 boats.
Medway 18 miles. no recent number but 2000 boats.?
 
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Re: Boat Density

Yes I spotted a porpoise just opposite gillingham Marina swimming towards Rochester on Friday. First one I ever saw on the mudway.
 
Re: Porpoises

Saw 2 today, smaller than I'd expected! Just downstream of Rochester opposite the submarine. Very chuffed :)
 
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