Trunk the Film Star

Trunk investigates Underwater Camera27th April Trunk  a  Grey Seal in Newquay Harbour investigating the underwater camera..she obviously wants to be a film star like medalion Man!

Spectacular Species

ahh fishing...perfect way to spend a day

Paul bags a cod to blog...at last!

crew man Ben with 12lb Ling

Beautiful Black Bream with blue tingesApril went out as fishing frenzy aboard the “Atlantic Diver” and May came in as Fishie Galore aboard the “Bounty”, (skippered by  Anthony Hills). A spectacular array of species was caught during our 2 and 4 hourly deep sea fishing trips with Ling up to 12lb and Black Bream to 2 1/2 lb as well as mackerel, cat shark,gurnard, cod pollack,congor eel,launce and pouting…Happy Days!! This is what sustainable fishing is all about..rod caught and plenty of different species to cook and taste.

Try this simple to cook and delicious recipe for a really fresh supper idea:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/ling_cod_with_tomato_and_orange/

 

 

Sunshine, Sea Safaris and Shags galore

Cormorants and shags were out in their masses today and lucky passengers were able to see long and far due to yet another spectacular calm day at sea out on our Newquay Sea Safari. We were extremely lucky to spot a Great Northern Diver amongst a group of Cormorants perched on the rocks and also 1 male grey sea, 2 pretty female seals and 1 juvenile seal who popped their heads up to people spot us on the Bounty. A pod of approximately 15 Common Dolphins with a calf joined us riding in our  bow wave as we gradually returned to newquay Harbour spotting for dolphins and Basking Sharks.

family enjoying sea safari from aboard the Bounty

Seal’s Fish Supper

Newquay Grey Seal Feathers eating Conger Eel

Couldn’t resist posting this picture of Grey Seal called “Feathers/Shrek” eating a conger eel in Newquay Harbour today

Going!

Feathers-eases-Fish -Supper-Down -Throat-No Chewing

Going!

Newquay-Seal-Not-Even-Full-Yet

Gone!!

 

Gone…totally content seal….got to just love these gorgeous seals…it was like watching somebody eating noodles.

 

 In the backround the Newquay Fish Festival setting up is well underway.All starts down here on Friday 11th-13th…trips running as usual from our shark’s head booking kiosk..come on down and enjoy the fun.

We shall be helping at the Newquay Marine Group stand on the Beach.

there is an awesome program of fish and famous chefs, fishing talks, old newquay, food stalls….BOAT TRIPS and lots of Cornish Fishing Fun.

……….See You There!!  

Sea Watch Dolphin and Whale spotting week

Hydro Planing Dolphins on newquay sea sfaris

hydro planing dolphins

Unbelievably awesome Common Dolphin activity this week as we were recording cetacean for Whales and Dolphin Watching Week. We came across no fewer than six pods of Common Dolphins on one day alone , let alone Bottlenose Dolphins on two consecutive days complete with juveniles and Harbour porpoise. It was a great week until the british weather moved in but out there again today. 

Dolphins-creating-huge-splash-as-they-hydro-plane-feeding-on-surface-sand-eels-off-Newquay

The dolphins were feeding on sand eels which were in turn feeding on phytoplankton which was trapped at the sea surface. The Dolphins were coraling the shoals up tightly at the surface by porpoising closely together …gathering the shoal , whilst others under the shoal blew air bubbles upwards to keep the fish from swimming down. Then annnd here come sthe amazing part ….the dolphins now having trapped the sand eels ata the surface Hydro Planed , beaks open wide and scooped the eels up in lines of ridgid backed sinchronised rows of dolphins. The spalsh they created doing this was phenominal.

beautiful-common-dolphin-feeding-off-Newquay

We sat and watched at a distance for ages as they fed in a huge area around us. 

Shark Cage Diving UK at Its Best!!

Beautiful Blue Shark approaches Atlantic Diver

Unbelievably adrenaline rushing viewing during a shark cage dive with the  best cage diving company in the UK. Eleven shark divers set off from Newquay Harbour yesterday onbaord "Atlantic Diver" to do one of the" top 10 things to do in Newquay" or even the UK. Doubters of the thrill of UK cage diving should feast their eyes on this footage as we experienced 4 Blue sharks, all female ranging from sizes…2.5m, 3m 3.5m and  2m.

 British Shark "Bites" Chum Bag during UK Cage Dive onboard Atlantic Diver

Excited Shark Divers met at our "Newquay Marine Centre" overlooking the Harbour, to learn about the plight, biology and behaviour of the blue sharks which only feed in our British Sea when the water temperature is 12 degrees plus. 

We Sped 10 miles out to sea ,Aboard "Atlantic Diver" and set up the chum to attract the sharks to the cage.

After a two and a half hour wait…they appeared…thrashing around the chum …two female Blue Sharks . They gradually grew in confidence and made repeated drives passed the (by now adrenalined) Shark Divers!!!

Another Shark rolled up , then another ….shark Fest!!!

you tube video here

All in all we enjoyed watching their amazing hunting and reasoning skills as they swam around the cage, chum bags and boat. All on board were totally blown away by their beauty, grace and stealth. These iconic creatures are being taken in their millions for their fins and meat…a top predator rapidly declining. The Uk has catch limits for many of our sharks but this is not the case in Europe, as a Shark Trust Trustee I am in support of TACs for europe as is applies here in the uk, which our  fishermen adhere to. 

Tourists in Newquay would never be treated to such an amazing spetacular display of nature as the blue sharks forage far offshore away from bathers and they are only accessable by boat. Historically these sharks were in plentiful supply and indeed we did used to angle for them but  today we prefer to view them and encourage others to take care of our ocean and top predators by educating visiting wildlife tourists, as well as locals. 

To Book These Cage Dives…please call Skipper Chris or Annabelle Lowe on 

07860 927833

01637 850930

 

Sharks are Here

Tope ..the Soup Fin Shark caught during Newquqay Sea Safaris and Fishing Trip 9 miles off Newquay

To watch the Soup Fin Shark in its natural environment…see below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QJ_S-z5M5PA

The first Basking Shark was sighted about 8 miles off Newquay this week, spotted by Daniel ..a Commercial Potter ( with thanks) feeding open mouthed at the surface. Other sightings have also been coming in as 1 in falmouth, 2 off Porth Kerris, 1 off Landsend and 2 in Lundy..the warmer weather has helped the Zooplankton to rise ,so the harmless plankton feeding sharks are feeding at surface. Today a happy angler also caught a very large Tope , weighing in at 22lbs and 1.8m in length. The male shark circled around the boat and entangled the anglers' lines, reminiscent of a scene from "Jaws", before being brought onboard "Atlantic Diver" to be measured and recorded for the Shark Trust and Substance. It was then very carefully released…keeping these sharks in a horizontal position helps to protect the soft internal organs so that a successfull release is possible. These sharks are known as the "Soup Fin" shark and don't eat people but instead eat fish, crustacean,endinderms and worms. They are usually bottom feeders. Our fishing and sea safaris are running daily aboard our two top, large catamarans. Mackerel are coming in well today.

 

Seal Pup Rescues

seal pup rescue with Chris, Kate and Annabelle

For more of what we do during the winter please read on…The above pic is of a seal Chris , Kate, Kate’s mum and I rescued earlier this winter season. He was named “Basil Fawlty “by the Animal Care Team Staff at Gweek National Seal Sanctuary who have done a superb job of caring for him. He was called this because of his enormous swollen head( faulty head)  he had from head injuries he received perhaps from rough seas and rocks or possible bite injury. Click here to see how he is progressing and hear more of his story…

Chris and I are both British Divers Marine Life Rescue Marine Mammal Medics and throughout the year but particuarly in the Winter season (which is Grey Seal Pupping time) we are on call as volunteers ,alongside a whole team of superb medics in the Cornwall area to attend Marine Mammal rescues. Here follows one day in our diary ….On a freezing cold day in January on a windy beach a lone seal pup hauls out at the high tide line and lies exhausted and dehydrated …too tired to make it back to the sea. He is now vulnerable to dog attack and major disturbance…Fortunately a member of the public call British Divers Marine Life Rescue and describe the state of the pup then wait for medics to arrive., keeping themselves and dogs back out of the way so they do not scare the pup. Philip and Lewis, 2 new recruits ,arrive first, amid a heavy shower of hail stones and assess the seal’s condition. Phillip takes the sharp end whist we take his temperature and assess his wounds. Dave Jarvis our senior medic indicates the seal needs treatment. We very carefully place the seal into a specially designed BDMLR seal bag being careful not to get bitten and carry him back across the beach.(NB..NEVER attempt to rescue a seal yourselves this could be very dangerous for both you and the seal…please follow the BDMLR advice:

please click for link…… http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/index.php?page=stranded-animals

to call BDMLR:  BDMLR hotline: 01825 765546 (office hours) or 07787 433412 (out of hours)

injured and dehydrated seal pup

new medic Phillip jumps the seal pup

Once safely removed from beach the seal pup is made more comfortable in a larger transportation box , so he doesn’t overheat. Lewis and Phillip British Divers Marine Life  Rescue Marine Mammal Medics check he is fit for travel . Then off to meet the vet….seal pup safely in animal box for transport to vet

Medic Darryl administers seal treatmentAfter a long arduous journey back from the vet …the little grey seal pup Phillip Phollop flops down into the sea, stops to rest for a minute, then disappears back into his own watery environment!Cool

Bye Bye little seal …good luck!!seal pup Phillip Phollop flops into the sea

new medics Phillip and Lewis joy at seal pup release

Seal Pup Basil Fawlty ..Released

Basil looks out to sea

Basil the recued seal pup has now been nursed back to health by the dedicated Animal Care Team Staff at the Gweek National Seal Sanctuary.and has over tripled his weight.  Alongside the staff and other BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics…we watch  the exciting moment of the seal’s  release back into the wild to try their chances again to survive against the odds. Basil’s big moment is about to begin…..the seals dash down to the sea but Basil is unsure and hides under the National Seal Sanctuary Jeep.Unsure what to do Basil breaks away from the rest of the seals and hides under the Seal Sanctuary JeepWe can still see you Basil!Basil spots something interesting in the shallows.Basil has spotted another sealAnother released seal pup waits in the shallows and looks back at Basil….enticing him to join her.Another released seal pup looks back at BasilThe other seal is eventually enough to lure him out to seaLaughingBasil tries the water 

Who could blame the little seal pup with icicles hanging from the cliffs on the beach…but the draw of the beautiful shimmering blue water of North Cornwall’s Atlantic Ocean eventually attracts Basil to take the final plunge.icicles hang form cliffs at the beachBasil finally swims out to sea

Basil finally heads out to sea!…

Seal Survey

Newquay town from the sea - April 2011

20th April ..Sun , sea and seals. A bunch of seal enthusiasts took to the high seas aboard Atlantic Diver on a stunningly hot April’s day to record seals along the spectacular North Cornwall coastline.
Cool
Male, female and some gorgeous hauled out juvenile grey seals were dotted about.

Two Cornish Choughs also flew Jurassic Park style across the rugged cliff tops.. Hurray! Our Cornish birds be back.