Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 10
Report by Eamonn Clarke, IWDG Member
Thanks to a cancellation, I got the pleasure of re-joining IWDG’s 12-week Summer Survey 2019 for week 10 having been on the Celtic Mist for week one.
I joined the Celtic Mist in Kinvara, Co Galway, where the IWDG and the Celtic Mist featured in this colourful town’s Cruinniú na mBád Festival. This festival, which is in its 40th year, celebrates both the sailing of the traditional Galway Hookers but also the culture intrinsically linked to the Connemara and North Clare communities that sailed these vessels. On the Sunday when I arrived, the harbour and town was alive, sun was shining, ice-creams were being licked and the wasps were joining in the fun.
Kinvara © Eamonn Clarke
There was great interest in the Celtic Mist which was open to the public during the festival. Parents asked about the boat and/or the IWDG while their kids excitedly roamed every nook and cranny below deck. As the tide went out on Sunday evening, the grounded Celtic Mist tilted slightly against the pier and we enjoyed the music, including a roaming mariachi band, from the last night of the Festival stage.
With all the new crew onboard on Monday, we awaited the high tide to set sail from Kinvara with the hope of making it out of Galway Bay and down the west coast to Clare/Kerry. However, the timing of the high tide and a strong westerly wind and surge meant that the passage west through Galway Bay was very challenging. Our skipper, Paul Field, and first mate, Paul Hanna, reassessed the plan and rightly opted to make for Galway City with a view to setting off early in the morning if the winds improved.
An early start from Galway dock at 5am on Tuesday morning had us out on the Bay in much better conditions. I spent a lot of time in Galway as a child and teenager but always on land. So, for me, it was an experience to sail out of Galway city and along the coast so familiar to me but from a very different perspective.
Our journey today took us out the Bay, around Black Head below the Burren, past the Aran Islands and out to near the 100m contour line along the Clare Coast. All on board were in spotting mode and all very hopeful now at finally getting out into open water. We had intermittent sightings of common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins, each time in twos and threes. Unfortunately, as light was fading and we passed the Shannon estuary, we had yet to spot any whales. That is the nature of this survey which is influenced by sea conditions, visibility, migratory patterns and luck at being at the right place at the right time.
As night fell, the crew whilst tired from a long day at sea, were in good spirits as we nosed our way towards Fenit, north Kerry just after midnight giving the nod to Brendan the Navigator on the way in.
Fenit © Gerry O’Connor
As I had experienced on Week 1, you are very much at the mercy of the wind and seas, which are constantly changing. A developing and lingering low pressure brought strong winds overnight, so we remained in Fenit on Wednesday. This gave the crew the opportunity to refuel, have a shower and try knot-tying challenges from the skipper. Despite being ashore today, two the crew, Jessica Giannoumis and James Farrell were fortunate enough to see a pod of bottlenose dolphins in the bay from the harbour wall. These were duly logged by our on-board marine biologist, Sibéal Regan, who advised that bottlenose dolphins were also reported to be in nearby Brandon Bay.
With a slight break in the weather, we set sail for Brandon Bay on Thursday morning. No sooner had we left Fenit harbour and thanks to great spotting by Jessica (again), we saw a pod of bottlenose dolphins. This included the white-patched ‘Spirtle’ seen earlier on the IWDG Survey (read more here). Alas, due to poor sea conditions, only one other sighting was made that day when an alert for a collision with a black lobsterpot marker was in fact a seal. As the weather and sea conditions deteriorated again, we returned to Fenit for the night, with all glad to have at least gotten out on the sea again.
With all such trips, you are at the mercy of the weather and seas and unfortunately, the forecast was not good news for the next few days. On the advice of the two Pauls, we all agreed to say goodbye to the Celtic Mist on the Friday. So, whilst we tied up a day early, we had a fantastic week and great fun together as a crew celebrating along the way James’ Leaving Cert results onboard on Tuesday, Ray’s birthday on Wednesday in Fenit with a bucket of brown crabs, Gerry O’Connor’s delight at tying a bowline and enjoying a late night singsong in the Fenit’s West End.
12 August 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 9
Report by Sophie Bresnihan, IWDG Member
This was the ninth leg for the Celtic Mist and our skipper for the week was Fiacc O’Brolchain. We boarded the Celtic Mist at the Galway Docks on a stormy Sunday afternoon – not a good omen we knew. Sure enough, several hours later after all the crew had met and introduced each other, we were informed by Fiacc that there was a yellow warning and there was no way we would be setting sail the next day.
Monday: There was lots of time to familiarize ourselves with the boat and get adjusted. Some of the crew had last minute purchases they needed to make and it was lucky we were in Galway where everything could be got. A few of us took advantage of the awful weather and decided to try out the famous Pálás cinema that everyone keeps talking about. It was perfect cinema weather after all! That evening we were told that once again, weather conditions would prevent us from leaving port the next day..
Tuesday: Our delightful crew member Pat O’Brien- a resident of Galway- very kindly whisked some of us off the boat and out to the burren for a little trip. It was also an opportunity for some to leave their cars in Kinvara where the boat would be finishing up at the end of the week. We spent a lovely day at the Burren perfumery, followed by a walk along the Flaggy shore – made famous by Seamus Heaney. She provided us with some great knowledge of the area and it was a fun day out.
Back in port, we all waited anxiously for an update from Fiacc regarding a possible departure the following day…the weather did still seem a bit off. Thankfully he was able to report, to huge sighs of relief that we would be leaving first thing the following morning.
Wednesday: The only advantage of being stuck in port for two days is that the excitement that comes with a departure is far greater! We set sail and pulled out of Galway docks, unable to believe we were actually on the move at last; we were heading for Kilronan in Inis mor. Pat was able to provide us with great running commentary of all the places in the bay as we moved out. The sea was quite rough, but no one was complaining! We were just so happy to be on the water. About half way out of the bay, to our delight, we spotted a group of common dolphins that decided to come right over to the boat where they put on such a spectacle; there were juveniles, adults and the tiniest little calf. They were so playful and stayed with us for a good while, putting on a great acrobatic show. The whole thing put everyone in high spirits. We pulled into Kilronan in the early evening, salty faces, matted hair and feeling very grateful.
The trip over was also a great chance to see our wonderful seabirds: cormorants, terns, shearwater, different gulls, a few gannets, fulmar…. A couple of us couldn’t resist a swim in the beautiful turquoise waters by the port while others ventured up to the pub for a well deserved pint. After a delicious hot stew eaten al fresco on the deck and cooked by our fantastic chef Noel, some of us had the mad idea we would venture up to Dun aengus for the last of the evening light. We hopped into a taxi and discovered, with the hoards of tourist gone, we had the place to ourselves. As we stood at the edge of the cliffs we felt so privileged to have the whole sight to ourselves. It really was such a magical experience!
Thursday: Another good day weather wise – Fiacc decided we could venture out a bit further towards the 100m contour. We couldn’t go too far as we had to be back in Galway docks by evening as the boat was sailing to Kinvara for the weekend. A lovely sighting of seals and hundreds of cormorants greeted us from the little island by the harbor as we pulled out.
We had not been out long before we spotted 4 common dolphins, this time they decided not to come up to the boat and proved rather elusive, with Luana getting rather frustrated trying to take pictures. We had got our hopes up as Ray- an Aran island native- had told us he had seen sightings of Sunfish, Basking shark, Minke and Humpbacks in this particular area. He and Fiacc then spotted a minke but it was on the move and quickly disappeared before any of us had a chance to see it. We waited around a while but didn’t see anything more. Fiacc informed us that we had a long sail back in to harbor and unfortunately we had to leave. A lovely trip back, and despite no further sightings of cetaceans, we saw lots of seabirds.
Friday: Celtic Mist set sail for Kinvara for the Cruinniú na mBád festival. Upon arrival, we prepared the Celtic Mist for guests: banners up ,booklets and leaflets on display. We had guests on board until it became unsafe as the tide started dropping. There was a lot of interest in the boat because of the Haughey connection and of course the whales. A few old members of the IWDG joined us; we had a bite to eat in a restaurant and savored some of the music and craic in the village.
Saturday; We had a big fry up followed by a few more visitors. Unfortunately the weather was wet and windy , and not looking too good and in the end the race was cancelled. We did a bit of a clean up and those of us still left headed off to a BBQ in Parkmore, hosted by the Brogan’s. Despite being unlucky with the bad weather, we managed to not let this dampen our feisty spirits. We had some great experiences – overall a fantastic week spent with such a great bunch of people.
For images of Celtic Mist at the Cruinnuí na mBad see https://www.facebook.com/IWDGsCelticMist/
1 August 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 8
Report by August Cowan, a 16 yr old IWDG Member
This was the eighth leg for the Celtic Mist. We came to the Celtic Mist harboured in Dingle on Sunday 28th July. We had the extremely patient and kind (and fellow ukulele player!), Noel Bright, as our skipper for the week.
Monday
We set off from Dingle bright and early. I was the youngest member of the crew this week at age 16, but that didn’t stop me from looking forward to learning the sailing life and seeing whales and dolphins. At first as we came out of Dingle, the weather was nicely warm and the sea calm, but our luck didn’t last. Winds picked up and the boat began to rock quite heavily. This being my first time on an expedition like this, the anxious side of me didn’t enjoy it very much and discovered the hard way that being below deck made me feel even worse. Thankfully, I wasn’t sick, but I can’t say the same for one of my older crew members. The day was pretty empty of any cetaceans, even poor old Fungie, who I’m sure was happy to have one less boat chasing him. A few dolphins were spotted off the stern, but the crew’s marine biologist, Cynthia, was unsure what species they were. We arrived in Knightstown, Valentia Island, tired, but happy to be out of the rough weather.
Tuesday
After listening to the morning’s weather forecast over the radio, the executive decision was made to stay in Valentia since there was no point going out to sea on a cetacean-spotting trip when the weather made it way too difficult to see any. Since we had a free day, the crew all did as they wanted for the day and saw some of the sights. Me, my mum, the skipper and another crew member took a taxi to the prehistoric Tetrapod Trackway and got a mini tour of the island from our very enthusiastic taxi driver.
We walked all the way down to the Tetrapod Trackway and were quite confused when we got there. We read that we were supposedly seeing footprint evidence of when the first lizard-like animals made their way from sea to land, but it took some other visitors to point out the tracks to us before we actually saw them. Oops. After that, we walked along the scenic road to the old Valentia lighthouse. We got an informative tour, had a snoop around the small museum, had lunch, and went up to the top where we were treated with a beautiful view. We took a taxi back to Knightstown and explored a little bit more (there’s a fantastic bookshop and a little heritage centre packed with a LOT of info), then reunited on Celtic Mist that evening.
Wednesday
Today, we left Valentia and carried on our way to Fenit. Luckily, today the weather was much improved. We were still rocking a bit, but not as badly as before and the sky was blue to match. By this point, I was more used to the movement of the boat and found myself a cosy spot at the bow, perfect for any cetacean spotting. While in Brandon Bay, we had the most special and amazing sighting of the whole trip: a pod of bottlenose dolphins! They made a beeline straight for the boat and put on a stunning display for us with bow-riding, whistling, breaching, flipping and doing massive jumps. They stayed with us for a good twenty minutes, and as one crew member put it, “I’m not sure who’s having more fun – us or them!” Sadly, they eventually left us, but we had two stragglers who stayed with us a little while longer and provided us with some more entertainment. I was amazed at how acrobatic and nimble they were, admiring every jump and flick of the tail. That was such a wonderful sighting, and the highlight of the trip for me. 
Thursday
I was woken up very early by the rumbling of the boat at around six o’clock. Some poor souls had taken one for the team and got up at five to get Celtic Mist going on the twelve-hour journey to Inisheer and around the Aran Islands. I had some fun that morning trying to get myself ready for the day, while still half asleep and trying desperately to ignore the seasickness I knew I would feel below deck. I managed it, though, and made it out alive without any sickness. I wasn’t the only one who had that problem – several of my other crew members had to navigate getting ready down below without feeling too sick. We hadn’t seen any whales at this point, and after yesterday’s exciting dolphin display we were hopeful. We saw lots and lots of common dolphins feeding with their calves. Some of them came up and rode the bow wave. Some of the calves were really small, and so young you could see the birth marks on them which Cynthia taught us about. No whales that day, but Inisheer was very beautiful and picturesque. We didn’t see the resident bottlenose dolphin there, Dusty. She must have been taking advantage of the good fishing. We might not have seen whales or Dusty that day around the island, but it did provide some of the adults with somewhere to have a drink that night. A few crew members went in search of the old buried church too.
Friday
Our final day sailing on board Celtic Mist. The day’s journey was from Inisheer to Galway. At this stage, we were getting quite itchy to see a whale. Dolphins aplenty, puffins, shearwaters, guillemots, gulls and cormorants, but the Minke whales were elusive. We even saw seals, who curiously came investigating to see if we were a fishing boat. We had practically perfect whale-spotting weather, but there wasn’t a single one in sight. Very shy harbour porpoises were spotted, but still no Minke. More common dolphins were feeding – we suspected they were the same ones we had seen the day before – so we snapped a few more photos, played a bit of ukulele and waited for any whales to surface (pun intended). 
Galway bay was supposedly the place where Minke whales would be, but still nothing. We put it down to there being lots of sea traffic since the Galway races were on. Pedestrian traffic was even worse in Galway itself, the ancient streets brimming with rather well-oiled ladies and gents dressed up in their finery. A group of crew members went out for dinner, except for those who lived in Galway who were able to go home for the rest of the day, and had a nice time exploring our surroundings. Next morning we had a slightly sad farewell breakfast together.
All in all, it was a great week and a great experience – whales or no whales. Thanks to the IWDG & fellow crew members, especially skipper Noel. I’ll be back next year!
1 August 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 7
Report by Mathew Duffy, IWDG Member
This expedition was the seventh in the Celtic Mists’ line-up for 2019. Harboured in Dingle, it was our aim to explore the 100m contour off Dingle Bay and record any cetaceans we encountered. Our skipper for the week was the illustrious Michael O’Meara, accompanied by his equally skilled first mate, Sean Brennan.
Monday: Our arrival to Dingle the previous Sunday was marked by an absolutely torrential downpour that lasted for most of the day. Unfortunately, the weather was still reeling from the storm, with choppy seas unsuited for cetacean spotting of any kind. Hoping for the weather to improve, we busied ourselves with getting acquainted with the Celtic Mist. For roughly half of us, this would have been our first time serving on a vessel such as this, so we were all eager to learn the tricks of the trade. Simon Berrow was also kind enough to visit the following day and provide training for biologists Shauna and Matthew on board.
Tuesday: Our prayers were still not answered for Tuesday, with Met Éireann reporting a Small Craft Warning with frothy seas. Our skipper hosted an introductory course to basic operations on the Celtic Mist, including docking procedures, specialised knots, launching of the onboard rib, etc. Thankfully, usage of these emergency techniques proved not to be necessary by the end of the trip. A special shout out to Mary Townley, whose knot-tying prowess extends further than the rest of the new recruits put together.
Wednesday: Wednesday morning was marked by the first official cetacean sighting. Fungie was sighted upon exiting the harbour. We immediately set a course for the Blasket Islands, determined to reach Tearaght Island. Unfortunately, conditions had only marginally improved, with swells of well up to 2 metres accompanying us the entire trip. The rocking of the boat proved to be too much for one particular crew member, who couldn’t even hold a toffee down for more than five minutes. We sailed between Great Blasket Island and Inishnabro, and stayed in the general vicinity of the 100m contour near Tearaght Island. Due to the adverse oceanic conditions, even if there were cetaceans present, it would have been unlikely that they could be spotted. We returned to Dingle, greeted once again by Fungie, and eager to try out luck the next day.
Thursday: While we had expecting to be able to head out on Thursday, conditions took a turn for the worse once again, with yet another Small Craft Warning issued. To make the most of our time, our group separated for the day, hoping to find our land legs again. One member went to Eask Tower to perform a whale watch for 3 hours; others went to Tom Crean’s grave, etc. The day was topped off by a group outing to a local production of Catch of the Day in the Beehive Theatre. An apt choice of play, to say the least! Special shout out to Orla Mannion, whose grasp of the mystic arts (or card tricks) is not to be underestimated. Pearse is still pacing the halls at night, thanks to this.
Friday: While it looked like our hopes were to be dashed once again, the weather improved at the last possible minute. We practically barrelled out of Dingle Bay to Valentia Island just before the weather decided to worsen again. Fungie once again decided to accompany us out of the bay, staying as close as 6m away from the bow of the Celtic Mist. Thankfully, sea conditions had improved drastically compared to the first few days. Despite this, along with 4 hours in the bay, no cetaceans were spotted for the entirety of the trip. We docked with little difficulty in Knightstown Harbour.
Saturday: The best of the trip was saved for last, with the flattest seas we had seen yet and shining blue skies. We set off from Valentia Island and set sail for Skellig Michael and Little Skellig. While there was a plethora of aerial life all around us, we did not observe any marine mammals in proximity to the remote islands. After circling the Skelligs, we made our way to the 100m contour, before planning to head back to Dingle. At long last, after spending almost a week of searching, we observed our first whale. Eagle-eyed crew members (Orla, Séan and Paul Devaney) observed a large black shining mass, consistent with that of a minke whale, temporarily rise from the depths before quickly returning to the murk. With our spirits lifted slightly, we kept a renewed eye out for any whales or dolphins. Sadly, this was to be our final sighting for the trip (not counting Fungie).
Overall, our trip was marked by dizzying highs and crushing blows. All members of the crew are extremely thankful to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group for this unique opportunity. Bad weather notwithstanding, every crewmember left with Celtic Mist with the notion that they might one day return to perform more surveys for the group.
Video by Pearse McDonnell, IWDG Member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhL2VgkXs-A
and from Paul Devaney
29 July 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 6
Report by Amanda Egan, IWDG Member
We arrive in Fenit, Co. Kerry around 3pm Sunday afternoon. I traveled from Tralee to Fenit with a friend, Mags Daly (IWDG Researcher), who was also taking part in week 6’s Celtic Mist survey. As we walked down to the mist we ambitiously talked about the week ahead of us. I was excited to meet the six other members of Celtic Mist’s crew as well as seeing Celtic Mist herself. Once aboard Celtic Mist we were introduced to Fiona Morrissey (IWDG member), Gerry Flaherty (First mate), Noel Bright (Skipper) and Stephen Franck (IWDG member). Later in the evening we also met Jess and Alan Barrett (IWDG Members) the final two members of our team for the week. On this trip we aimed to record cetacean species around the 100 metre contour line. In particular humpback whales as they hadn’t been encountered all summer. Everyone chatted excitedly, at the thought of what cetacean species might be encountered in days to come. We began all the preparations for the days ahead and unpacked in our designated cabins. We had an early night as everyone wanted to be wide eyed and bushy tailed for the next morning.
Monday
Monday morning around 10 am we left Fenit marina and headed towards the 100m contour line in search of humpback whales. It was a nice calm morning, the sun was in the sky and it was a sea state 0, perfect conditions for spotting cetaceans. The first marine species we spotted on this leg, on our way out from Fenit was not actually a cetacean species at all but in fact a compass jellyfish. This was a nice start to our trip as the jelly gracefully glided through the water.
We then headed towards Brandon bay as bottlenose dolphin activity was reported in this area. Luckily enough shortly after we arrived in Brandon Bay, we encountered a pod of bottlenose dolphins. Approximately 20 dolphins circled the boat, breaching and bowriding. We aimed the cameras in hope of getting as much photo ID of the animals as possible. This group is part of the Shannon Dolphin population which has been monitored by the group since 1993. The dolphins were very obliging during the encounter, which lasted about 30 minutes before the dolphins began to swim off. This allowed the crew to capture valuable data of these dolphins in Brandon Bay. The group included some individuals that had not been seen by researchers in a couple of years with some calves from last year that are new to the catalogue.
We then got back on track and once again headed towards the 100m contour line. We had an amazing encounter with a curious minke whale on our travels. The minke was well spotted be Gerry, Stephen and Noel as they alerted us to the starboard side of the boat. The minke was approximately 7 metres in length and rolled on its back numerous times exposing its big white belly, later followed by breaching. As it, and so its blows, was so close to the boat we came to understand why they are sometimes referred to as Stinky Minkes. The whale stayed with the boat for 25 minutes before it eventually went on its way. It was a breath taking experience for all involved. It was my first whale sighting and an absolutely amazing one to begin with.
Lastly we spotted two separate pods of common dolphins as they swiftly crossed our path. As the day passed while waiting for cetacean sightings we would spot bird species and learn some new ones along the way as we hopefully watched the sea. Jess was an excellent bird spotter as she altered us to most of the encounters which further enabled me to improve my knowledge and ID skills.
We logged four different cetacean sightings in total with three of them being different cetacean species. Mags explained each sighting with knowledge and with an excellent crew of excited spotters it was a fantastic day. We arrived in Smerwick bay approximately 7 pm and anchored there for the night. It was a peaceful night for most crew members as the gently rocking from the waves lulled us to sleep.
Minke whale: Photo Mags Daly
Tuesday
We woke up Tuesday morning to a scenic view of Smerwick Bay and a gorgeous breakfast of fried potatoes and scrambled eggs made by Alan and Fiona. At around 6.5ft Alan had some difficulties cooking in the, relatively, spacious galley, but the hatch made a nice work around for a man. We left at approximately 10 am and were on route to the Blaskets and 100m contour line. It was once again a lovely and promising day. Our first sighting of the day was a pod of common dolphins which was a great start to get the ball rolling. This was my first sighting of the trip. I was watching off the starboard side of the boat when a common dolphin leaped from the sea beside me. It was a fantastic surprise.
It was later followed by another common dolphin sighting. Alan also spotted a sunfish, which he had mistaken as bird acting odd until Mags excitedly exclaimed it was a sunfish. It was a very exciting find as we watched it flapped its narrow fin up and down and swim around the boat.
A Minke whale later breached in a sea state 4 as the waves splashed around us showing white caps. The Minke was excellently spotted by Fiona. As we went in-between the Blasket islands Mags expertly spotted 3 Risso dolphins, the dolphin’s amazed us with their pale coloured skin and slightly overhung dorsal fin. The species has white scratches on grey coloured skin which give the dolphin its pale appearance.
In total we had 5 sightings logged, with 3 of them being different species. We headed towards Dingle Harbour to rest for the night. We caught a glimpse of Fungi Dingle’s resident bottlenose dolphin as we headed towards the Harbour. As we got closer to Dingle we began to tie on the fenders and organise the lines, learning some knots. We were happily docked in Dingle around 6pm for the night. To celebrate a very successful day we decided to treat ourselves to fish and chips for dinner and later enjoyed the night life of Dingle.
Wednesday
Wednesday was a rest day due to bad weather conditions. We spent the day topping up on food shopping and buying some much needed water. We strolled around Dingle town for the rest of the day, enjoying what we could in light of the weather. We wondered in and out of the shops, then headed back to the boat for dinner. We enjoyed a lovely bolognaise made by Stephen and Jess with homemade garlic bread for dinner. We talked about our plans for Thursday as well as how nice dinner was. We cleaned up and had an early night Wednesday as we knew we had a busy day ahead of us.
Thursday
We awoke once again to find a cooked breakfast made for us. This time it was ingredients for B.L.T sandwiches as well as fried eggs. This tasty breakfast was made by Alan and Jess. Nick Massett was also kind enough to visit us on board to provide some his knowledge for our plan for the day . He had some humpback whale sightings in the days previous and suggest some areas for us to visit. We set sail for the 100 metre contour line. We went south of the islands with Innisvickillane to our right and the Great Blaskets to our left. The day started out windy but other than that it was calm. It was a sea state 2.
Our first and only sighting from this day was Fungi on our way out of Dingle Harbour. He was playfully jumping beside a small sailing boat.
As the day progress the weather deteriorated even further and the swell increased. The sea state declined to a 4 and the swell increased to 2 metres. This made spotting cetacean species quiet difficult as we watched the waves crashing around us. Everyone focusing on finding one more cetacean species to add to our lists. However the day took a turn for the worst as it began to rain heavily. Gerry, Noel and Stephen were not affected by the harsh weather and stayed outside. We headed indoors to gather ourselves. We swiftly stored the cameras away and headed back out. As the rain cleared the day seemed better as we scanned the water for cetacean activity, however only sighting birds and grey seals instead. As the day drew to an end we headed towards Dingle Harbour once again.
As Friday’s weather had been forecast as bad it was decided that the conditions would be too harsh to go out in. So we enjoyed our last night in Dingle as the wine flowed and the jokes were told, it was a fantastic last night with everyone.
Friday
As we decided not to go out on Friday, we spent the day cleaning the Mist. We had a lie-in. I was one of the last of the crew members to wake up not raising until 10:30am. Feeling refreshed we chatted over breakfast. Once finished eating we shortly started the clean-up. We cleaned the boat from bow to stern. We finally finished cleaning around 2pm and said our final goodbyes.
It was an amazing experience from the crew to the sightings. I had a very enjoyable and knowledge filled trip. The atmosphere was fantastic. I can’t wait to do it again.
Minke whale: Photo Mags Daly
20 July 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 5
by Conor Rowlands, IWDG Member
This was the fifth leg of the Celtic Mist’s summer sailing schedule, which involved steaming all the way from Dingle to the Aran Islands (including a stop at Smerwick) and then returning to berth in Fenit. The main aim of this expedition was to record cetaceans along the Irish western coastline (i.e. the 100-meter contour). We were also tasked with observing resident pods of bottlenose dolphins in the Brandon Bay area. Our skipper for the week was Pat Hartigan, who also led the previous week’s Celtic Mist expedition around the Blasket Islands.
Monday: On our first day of the expedition, we set sail for the Blasket Islands from Dingle Harbour with the aim of anchoring off Smerwick Harbour by late afternoon. The previous week’s survey produced many sightings of minke whales and common dolphins around the Blaskets. With perfect weather conditions for the day, we were hoping for similar sightings as well as anticipating the possibility of seeing humpback whales and fin whales in support of Whale Track Ireland.
As we left Dingle, we saw our first cetacean, Fungie, Ireland’s most famous dolphin. Once we approached the Blaskets, a minke whale was sighted surfacing within close proximity of the boat. As this individual was traveling at high speed, I suspected it was homing in on a nearby bait ball, where large numbers of gannets were seen diving. However, it seemed to be more preoccupied with us and started circling the Celtic Mist. This is not unusual, as minke whales are often very curious animals that are likely to approach boats. Within a few minutes of our first sighting, a second and noticeably smaller minke whale made an appearance and the joined the first individual. These two whales continued to circle the boat over the course of 15 to 20 minutes.
Soon after leaving these whales, fellow observer Ryan McCallan spotted a pod of five harbour porpoises, which passed within 10 meters of the stern of the boat. I managed to spot a further two small pods before we left the Blaskets. As sea conditions were flat calm, it made spotting Ireland’s smallest cetacean species easier than usual.
We anchored off Smerwick Harbour as planned for the night with the aim of leaving for the Aran Islands at 5 am the following morning, which would involve us traveling along the 100 meter contour line with the hope of finding large whale species. Some of us took turns on anchor watch during the night to ensure the boat did not drift from the anchored position.
Tuesday: We left Smerwick at 5 am and headed straight for a known hotspot for whale and dolphin activity just north of the Blaskets. We were soon greeted by a pod of around 20 common dolphins, which started to bow ride the boat, a well-known behavioural trait of this species. We soon got a call from IWDG member Nick Masset, who was stationed on Slea Head on the lookout for whale and dolphin activity. Nick believed he saw a whale breach which may have been a humpback. We made our way to the exact location and after 10 minutes of searching, no humpback was seen although plenty of common dolphins and a minke whale were observed. Nick rang back and acknowledged that what he may have seen was a minke whale breaching, as there were no further signs of humpback whales (i.e. blowing, fluking etc.). However, Nick had been lucky enough to see three humpback whales from the same headland at around 8pm the previous evening.
We continued north along the 100-meter contour line, encountering countless common dolphins and a few more minke whales. Sea conditions were noticeably rougher than the previous day and some of us (including myself) began to feel a bit queasy. As I got little sleep the previous night and had disregarded Pat’s advice by lying down on the deck as opposed to standing up, I probably got the worst of it! Therefore, I did little wildlife observation as we made our way to the Aran Islands and spent a large majority of the day sitting down or sleeping. The other crew members spotted more common dolphins and even an ocean sunfish. The rough sea conditions, with numerous white caps, made wildlife spotting difficult.
We arrived and docked at Inis Oirr harbour at around 8.30 pm and soon hurried to one of the hotels for a bite to eat. We then went for a wander around the western part of the island looking at some landmarks like the famous Plassey Shipwreck (featured in the opening credits of Father Ted) and the remains of O’Brien’s Castle which dates to the 14th century. Another famous Irish Bottlenose dolphin named Dusty is known to reside in the harbour, although she was not present this time around.
Wednesday: After the long 15 hours sail the previous day, we decided to take it easy and spend the day on the nearby Inishmore Island. We left Inis Oirr at around 10.30 am and after a 1 ½ hours sailing, we arrived at Inishmore harbour. We spent most of the day wandering around the island and made a visit to Dun Aonghasa, an ancient walled fortification which provided impressive views of the Atlantic Ocean atop the high cliffs.
By the late afternoon we had visited one of the local pubs and discussed our plans for the next two days. We decided to aim for Fenit the next day, which would involve around a 12-hour sail whilst also on the lookout for cetaceans. We received information from some of the local fisherman that pilot whales had been seen west of the Aran Islands, although these were likely to be close to the continental shelf, as these cetaceans are typically a deep-water species. For Friday, we decided that we would try and observe the local bottlenose dolphins in Brandon Bay, which had been causing a something of a stir recently as they had been involved in some intense fighting with a new pod that had taken residence from Scotland.
Thursday: We left Inishmore for Fenit at around 9.30 am under relatively mild weather conditions with a moderate breeze. A large colony of grey seals was observed along the rocky shoreline at the eastern tip of the island. As we left the Inishmore coastline, we decided to put the sails up due to the windy conditions; this would give us extra speed.
Not long after leaving the coast, a small pod of common dolphins joined us and began to bow ride including a mother-calf pair. Whilst no more cetaceans were seen for a few hours, numerous sea birds including puffins were observed. The rough sea conditions yet again made ceatacen spotting rather challenging, with numerous white caps beginning to form.
As we passed Loop Head, I noticed another small pod of common dolphins approaching the boat, although these just passed right in front of the boat rather than engage in the bow riding typically displayed by this species. Very soon after, a minke whale surfaced just off the bow and circled the boat over the course of 10-15 minutes. I managed to get a smell of its breath as it surfaced close to the boat, which wasn’t pleasant (hence the species nickname; stinky minky!). I briefly spotted a second minke whale as we passed the mouth of the Shannon Estuary, although this one showed little interest in us. I was even lucky enough to spot a large stingray swimming along the surface as we approached Fenit Harbour shortly before nightfall.
Friday: We left for Brandon Bay at around midday with the aim of observing and photographing bottlenose dolphins, which could help the IWDG to identify individual animals. We were joined by Joanne O’Brien, who has been studying the dolphins in the Bay and has made some remarkable findings, including the discovery of a new pod that has taken residence, travelling all the way from the Moray Firth, Scotland.
Not long after reaching the edge of Brandon Point, we came across a large pod of some 20 bottlenose dolphins which seemed to be hunting fish, given the high speeds they were travelling at. Joanne thinks that they mainly feed on Atlantic salmon, which is also what the dolphins in the Shannon Estuary feed on. As we approached them, most of the pod started to bow ride, while a few others continued to hunt. For someone who is used to seeing common dolphins, I was quite surprised to see how big these bottlenose dolphins were. Joanne recognised many of the individuals which have been present in the area for many years. Some of them were being very acrobatic, occasionally jumping clear out of the water. They stayed with us for over 30 minutes before resuming their normal activities.
As we approached Fenit Harbour, another pod of bottlenose dolphins suddenly appeared, with one of them having what looked like peeled off skin. Joanne immediately recognised this individual as ‘Spirtle’, a member of the Scottish pod who stranded in the Moray Firth in 2016 and suffered sunburned on her right side in the process. We stayed with these dolphins for about 20 minutes before they left the area. What a fitting end to a great week!
Conclusion: While no large whale species were seen, I can safely say I had a fantastic week aboard the Celtic Mist, which was largely attributed to spending time with a lovely bunch of people. I am especially thankful to Pat, who was a great skipper and made the trip very accommodating for all of us aboard.
11 July 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 4
by Peter Brennan, IWDG Member
This is the diary of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group 100 meter survey, June 30th through July 6th
We met at the marina in Dingle on Sunday, June 30th a group of eight strangers united in our desire to study and hopefully the whales and dolphins of Ireland.
There was Pat Hartigan our skipper, Jane Holland the mate, Michael Cuthbert, and myself, who are no marine biologists, but who have some experience with sailing and boating. And there was Orla Gilleece, Emily Marsh, Eleanora Boo, and Sineád Mason, who would be our scientists. Of course, we all got the chance to play both roles.
On Monday we set out for the Blasket Islands, seen off from the harbour by Fungie, the famous Dingle dolphin. Early on, we saw a Minke whale which surfaced several times. As Michael remarked, from that point on, there were no whale virgins among us. After that, we saw several common dolphins. We saw another Minke later in the day, while I was at the helm. I could hear everyone pointing it out and such, but, obviously, I couldn’t leave the helm, so he obligingly surfaced just off the port quarter where I could get a good look at it from where I was. It was a great first day out. We returned to Dingle Harbor that night.
On Tuesday we cruised between the Blaskets and the Skelligs, sailing between Skellig Michael and Skellig Beag. There were many, many common dolphins, and quite a few of them were jumping completely out of the water. We put into Portmagee for the night, just by the bridge that connects Valentia Island to the mainland of Ireland. The plan was to tie up to the pier, but the water there is very shallow, especially at low tide. The tide was halfway out and ebbing fast. We proceeded slowly and cautiously, playing close attention to the chart plotter and the depth gauge as well as keeping a sharp eye out on the water. In many places the mud was showing. We watched the depth fall and fall. Near the pier we were in less than four meters, and the chart showed no deep water between where we were and the pier. So we anchored, being sure to stay out of the channel the fishing boats would take out of the harbor early in the morning. We were also keenly aware of a small fishing boat moored nearby, and considerable mud flats in the vicinity. We set alarms on the anchor, and posted a watch – just in case the anchor should start to drag. Thankfully, it did not.
We left Portmagee at high tide on Wednesday morning, about 6:00 a.m. We cruised back around the Skelligs and followed a course along the hundred meter depth contour line, up around the seaward side of the Blaskets. We had heard there were whale sightings off Inish Tooskert, but we didn’t see any yet. We did see dolphins galore. Acrobatic dolphins! Jumping, jumping backwards, jumping sideways, coming along Celtic Mist to surf in our bow wake. They were obviously having a great time of it, enjoying life. There were too many to count, although I’m sure our intrepid marine biologists not only counted them, but entered every detail of their numbers, sizes and behavior into the database, as well as where they were coming from and where they were going to. We came into Smerwick harbor intending to anchor for the night, but the conditions were very windy with a good sized chop and we didn’t see any anchorage in the harbor that looked like it would offer adequate shelter in those conditions, so we sailed back between the landward side of the Blaskets and Slea Head, down Dingle Bay and back into Dingle Harbour. Emily saw a Minke whale along the way, but I missed it. 
On Thursday we were waiting for parts to repair the grey water bilge pump. That gave me time to walk the path along the east side of the harbour out to the lighthouse. It was low tide, and I made a note: when entering the harbor, honor that first green marker. It is way to the port of the center of the harbour entrance, but just to the east of it – what looks like good water at high tide – it is very shallow and rocky. We set out at 5:00 pm, bound for Inishvikillane. Along the way we saw a lot of common dolphins. The weather all week was wonderful; usually warm and often sunny. But it was cold, cloudy, and choppy on Thursday evening and I was thinking we were in for an uncomfortable night. As we approached the side of Inishvikillane nearest Inishabro, we were all looking intently for the mooring. The island is owned by the Haughey family, the same family who donated Celtic Mist to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. They had graciously given us permission to use their mooring for the night. But try as we might, we couldn’t see it. All we saw were lobster pots right up against the rocky shore. Captain Pat called Conor Haughey, and he told us where to look. When we saw it, we didn’t believe it could be the mooring. It was right up against the rocks. It looked like the boat would swing in the breeze and go right up on the rocks. But there was just enough room. Sure, the mooring was placed specifically for this boat. And when we were securely moored, the cliffs sheltered us from the wind and the waves. Instead of the cold windy rocking night I had been expecting it was calm warm and quiet. I’ve been in a lot of beautiful places in my life, but nothing I’ve seen could surpass this in the light of the sunset. The light on the clouds and the cliffs, the thousands of puffins, gannets and guillemots flying all around us. There’s just no way to describe it. Photos of it are beautiful but even they can’t do it justice.
If the sunset was spectacular, the next morning’s sunrise was absolutely breathtaking. The cliffs, which had been silhouetted against a brilliant sky in the evening, were illuminated in gold by the rising sun. We left on Friday morning, heading north, following the hundred meter contour line, past Tearaght and Inish Tooskert, and still further north. For a couple of hours we saw nothing. Then I took the helm, and we started seeing dolphins. I couldn’t take pictures, but I didn’t mind. It can be frustrating. They jump, and before you can snap the photo, they’re gone. These dolphins must have known it was our last day, because they pulled out all the stops. They were doing flips, rolls, back flips, a first class show. And then we saw the whales. “Just” minkes, but beautiful minkes. We followed one for a while, or maybe he was following us. I feel bad because as soon as we saw him, we completely ignored our beloved performing dolphins. (We still love you, common dolphins. Honest we do.) 
The dolphins were in no way discouraged. When the whales parted company with us the dolphins played on. Sinead or Emily told me that the total exceeded one hundred on that day alone. And on the way back up the bay towards our home base in Dingle Harbor, we saw “Mungee” the (unofficial) Dingle Bay Minke whale. We saw him nearly every time we sailed or motored up or down the bay, going to or returning from the hundred meter contour. It was a spectacular way to end a wonderful week.
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6 July 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 3
by Pauliina Kauppila, IWDG Member
The third leg of the summer sailings kicked off from Crosshaven on Monday, June 24th after the crew had arrived, assembled and got to know each other over dinner on the previous night. On board were:
* Our lovely skipper Paul O’Neill, who, despite being a farmer from deepest Kildare, is a keen seafarer. Paul is a kind and generous teacher with a great sense of humour, and we all learned a lot from him on this trip.
* First mate Gerry Kelly, a professional cellist and classical music promoter from Cork. Also one of the funniest men I have ever met!
* IWDG scientist Seán O’Callaghan, who never failed to give thorough and thoughtful answers to any and all questions we had about whales, dolphins or seabirds. Seán’s depth of knowledge is truly awe-inspiring.
* Seán’s father John O’Callaghan, who runs a tiling & flooring business in Killarney and who could not have been happier that our final port ended up being in the Kingdom. John was also a tireless washer-upper during the trip.
* Declan O’Mahony, an artist and environmental activist living in Cork who entertained us with tales about his shady past in Berlin. Declan also takes a very fine photo.
* Sophia Meeres, who hails from the Isle of Wight and works as a lecturer/assistant professor at UCD’s School of Architecture. Sophia is an absolute delight to have a conversation with, on any topic.
Sophia’s nephew Felix, also from the Isle of Wight. Felix was our top dolphin spotter!
*…and myself, a Finnish freelance translator & Coast Guard volunteer living on the Beara Peninsula for the last 18 years.
It was a mixed bunch, but we got on like a house on fire.
While all of Sunday had been misty and miserable, the week had an auspicious start with warm sunshine on Monday morning. After fuelling up and filling the water tanks, skipper Paul set a course west with first mate Gerry at the wheel. Cruising along, we started to get a hang of how the boat works, where things are stashed in the galley and what was the comfiest spot on the deck. Sophia’s choice: the fender-filled RIB! The first sightings of common dolphins and porpoises were recorded during the afternoon before we glided into Castletownshend and dropped the anchor for the night. A few of the crew had a lovely swim before dinner. After that, we inspected the beautiful St. Barrahane’s Church which stands guard on the hill above the harbour. Tasty pints were had in McCarthy’s Bar.
The good weather continued on Tuesday, and we headed southwest past the Stags and towards the 100-metre depth contour. Skipper Paul’s friend Martin, a member of Toe Head Coast Guard unit, had also joined us on the previous night and sailed out with us for the day. On the way to the contour we had plentiful sightings of common dolphins and also encountered three other whale-watching boats, including Holly Jo, Colin Barnes’s famed catamaran. This leg of the journey also gave us the first chance to switch off the engine and rely on the sails only which was a magical experience – as was circumnavigating the iconic lighthouse that is Fastnet. The seas were calm, the skies were blue, and everyone was very happy. That night we anchored in Crookhaven, another one of West Cork’s gems. Dinner was a lovely Indian curry master-minded by Sophia, followed by rehydration in O’Sullivan’s Bar on the pier.
Southerly winds helped us along as we sailed around Mizen Head on Wednesday morning and headed towards the 100-metre contour out west again. Tracing the contour, we had numerous sightings of common dolphins, including one pod of five who frolicked around the boat for a good hour. We also saw our first minke whales and a few Risso’s dolphins. Upon reaching the far end of Dursey Island, we turned east and headed for Castletownbere. I cook a pretty mean green Thai curry, even if I say so myself, and that’s what we had for dinner that night before repairing to the legendary MacCarthy’s Bar at the square.
As per forecast, Thursday was a windy day, so we had a scheduled pit stop and stayed put sheltering in Castletownbere harbour. After carrying out a bit of maintenance & cleaning out for both boat & crew (recycling; sorting out supplies; showers at local Coast Guard station), we split for the afternoon. As we were on my home turf, I felt it was my duty to show people around, so some of us took a spin out to Dzogchen Beara, a Buddhist retreat centre in a spectacular location high above the ocean. From there, we looped west via the Lighthouse pub in Allihies before returning to Castletown and reuniting with the rest of the crew. That night we skipped cooking and had a delicious dinner in Breen’s Lobster Bar and a merry old time back in Mac’s where the owner Adrienne MacCarthy made us all feel so welcome.
A porpoise greeted us on Friday morning as we motored out of the harbour’s mouth and out west again, past the dramatic Blackball Head tower and beyond Dursey. We had great sightings of two Risso’s dolphins which got our resident scientist Seán very excited – they were even breaching! Unfortunately, the visibility at this point turned poor and we could not see the Bull Rock at all as we passed it in thick fog and drizzle. Luckily, by the time we got to the Skelligs, the weather had completely cleared and we could enjoy these spectacular islands in all their otherworldly glory, with only puffins, gannets and other seabirds for company. I have rarely felt as fortunate as I did while our beautiful boat sailed slowly right by this unique and mystical place. The memory of that will stay with me forever.
While we were near the Skelligs, Seán had the drone out and captured some stunning aerial footage. The wind conditions and the sail made recovering the drone back on the boat challenging, and we were all watching with bated breath as Seán slowly guided the drone back and skilfully caught it with his hand. The whole crew burst into spontaneous applause at this point, and Seán was henceforth known as the Drone Whisperer.
After this, we swung towards the 100-metre contour again before eventually turning back towards land and Valentia Island. On the way, we had more common dolphins as well as excellent minke sightings. Skipper Paul demonstrated yet again that he is not just a pretty face and an excellent sailor but also a great cook by whipping up a lovely tomato and lentil soup for lunch. We moored in Knightstown, and Sophia made an larger-than-life Salad Niçoise which we enjoying during a beautiful sunset. The two Kerrymen on board (John and Seán) were jubilant to be back in the Kingdom after several days and nights spent in a foreign country (i.e. Co. Cork). Meanwhile, I had alerted my pal Denis from Valentia Coast Guard radio station to Celtic Mist’s presence in the area, so he and his colleague John called over to inspect the boat and invited us to visit the station the following morning.
True to their word, Denis and another colleague, Maurice, collected us from the harbour on Saturday morning and took us to Valentia Marine Rescue Sub Centre, to give it its full title. This station operates as part of the Irish Coast Guard and coordinates all marine search and rescue operations in the W/SW/S area of Ireland. They are kept busy too: this year they have already dealt with 400+ different incidents. The control centre itself is a state-of-the-art room full of tech, computers and screens, and we got a fascinating introduction to how things work there – for example, what exactly happens when somebody makes a Mayday call. The actual sailors among us, Paul and Gerry, both reported feeling a lot safer after seeing this nerve centre for SAR operations! Many thanks to Denis, John, Maurice and Brian for hosting us.
The final leg was a straightforward cruise north across the water to Dingle. We had our last lunch together on the deck before John and Seán kindly organised us all lifts to Killarney. Our amazing week at sea had come to a close.
I can only speak for myself, but I found the whole experience of spending a week on Celtic Mist absolutely magical. We were blessed with good weather, fair winds, exciting cetacean sightings, stunning scenery and some very good food! Most of all, we had a superbly nice bunch of people on board, and by the end of the week spent together we were all thick as thieves. My heartfelt thanks to you all, especially skipper Paul, for being such a lovely part of this unforgettable week on the Celtic Mist.
29 June 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 2
by Andy Carden
The longest day. We slipped out of Kinsale at 0535 on a calm morning. Common dolphins , porpoises and minke whales kept our excitement levels high. Pádraig Whooley had joined us for the day and expectations of a larger whale grew as a host of common dolphins and Manx shearwaters tore around us, feeding, near the 100 metre depth contour. Nothing larger than a minke appeared, but continual sightings of common dolphins, estimated by Paddy as 517 individuals, and 9 minkes meant there was no room for disappointment. We had great close up views of the dolphins and minkes and also saw two sunfish, fins flapping in the calm sea. After 99 miles in 13 hours and forty minutes at sea, we moored again in Kinsale.
25 June 2019
Summer Survey 2019: Diary of Week 1
By Eamonn Clarke, IWDG Member
Where better to kick off the IWDG’s 12-week Summer Survey 2019 than at Seafest, Ireland’s largest annual maritime festival, this year held in Cork City over the June Bank Holiday weekend.
The Celtic Mist was berthed in great company alongside such behemoths as the Marine Institute’s RV Celtic Explorer, the Irish Lights’ ILV Granuaile and the Irish Navy’s LÉ George Bernard Shaw and LÉ Niamh.
The aim of the Summer Survey 2019 is to sail around the south and southwest coasts of Ireland, primarily looking for humpback, fin and other baleen whales in support IWDG’s new WhaleTrack Ireland initiative.
As an IWDG Member, I was delighted to get the opportunity to join the team aboard the Celtic Mist and actively participate in the first week of this survey.
On our first day at sea, we were spoiled with an endless blue sky and a glass-like sea that was ideal for spotting. On advice that a pod of 15 fin whales were spotted off Mine Head on the Waterford coast, our skipper Liam Quinn headed us east after leaving Cork Harbour with a view to catching up with this pod. Our first sightings were two pods of common dolphins in relatively quick succession, numbering 30 and 15 animals respectively; both pods playfully bow riding the Celtic Mist whilst we snapped away. Whilst the reported pod of fin whales proved elusive, two separate sightings of solitary minke whales in the afternoon and evening of this first day at sea had us optimistic for the week ahead.
Alas, a weather warning and busy harbours along the Copper Coast meant that we sought refuge in Waterford City at the end of a long but enjoyable first day at sea.
After a day tied up due to poor weather, we again set sail in the hope of finding the fin whales off the Copper Coast; however, the sea state was more challenging with choppy seas and rain limiting sightings to one minke whale before overnighting in Dunmore East.
The sea and weather conditions remained challenging for the next few days with sightings limited for the remainder of the week to a minke whale, a pair of harbour porpoises and a seal or two. That did little to dampen the spirits of all aboard the Celtic Mist as we sailed westwards along the Waterford and Cork coasts to the beautiful harbour town of Kinsale before following in the path of Sir Francis Drake by holing up Crosshaven, where we celebrated the end of a fantastic week’s company with a quiet pint.
For me, this was to be my first opportunity to see whales and/or dolphins in Ireland where my only exposure to date was day trips in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Croatia. However, this trip turned out to be much more than that. It allowed me to see first-hand, and get involved, as an IWDG Member, in the great work that the IWDG does in terms of studying and raising awareness of these great animals that live in or visit our Irish waters. We all also got great insights along the way and a better understanding of the animals and birds (gannets, guillemots, shearwaters, terns, kittiwakes) that frequent our Irish coast thanks to our on-board expert, Sean O’Callaghan, IWDG’s Science Officer.
Lastly, as a newbie to sailing and boats, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, with a great crew, some great craic and some well-received sailing and knot-tying tutelage from our skipper Liam and Seamus MacGearailt. Is the sun over the yard-arm yet?
10 June 2019
Celtic Mist leaves Cork on its Summer Survey Schedule
Celtic Mist left Cork City this morning after SeaFest 2019 on the start of its summer schedule surveying for whales and dolphins in inshore Irish waters. The main objective this summer is to survey the 100m contour for the presence of humpback whales as part of WhaleTrack Ireland. All species will be recorded and the vessels route and environmental conditions logged.
The surveys are carried out by IWDG members. There are a few berths available to members on the latter legs. Contact celticmist@iwdg.ie if interested
Follow the summer adventure on www.iwdg.ie.