WHALE OF A TIME (Part 2) Minke Whale

Continued from Part 1

When we get back onto the Helicopter I will get the pilot to have a look around for you and if we see anything we will give you a call on channel 67. I thanked him kindly and off they went.

They were only away a few seconds when he shouted on the VHF and told me there were a big gathering of birds and he could see Harbour Porpoise.

I turned the boat and headed towards the flock of birds but we were not even close when a Minke Whale broke the surface. A customer shouted it's on the left hand side about 400 yards away going south. I quickly turned and steamed south towards the Whale when it broke the surface again. We started counting how many times it was taking air before it dived and it was 3 to 4 times. Great, so I grabbed my camera as it was down for a while but I was ready for it. Click Click. I got it.

We followed it for about 15 minutes and it disappeared so we decided to head back north towards the big flock of birds that were still there. We were just about to turn and the Minke broke the surface again but this time it was even closer. That's it I said to myself. Lets get really close so everyone can get a good picture. It didn't just come a little closer but right beside the boat.

When I looked at my chart to see where we were and we had followed the Minke 5 miles south and after everyone had good views and pictures of the Minke we turned said goodbye and steamed slowly north.

While we were cruising north we passed 2 Pufflings and an adult Puffin in full moult. There were lots of Guillemots, Gulls, Gannets, Kittiwakes, Arctic Terns, Manx Shearwaters and another Arctic Skua. Keith said there was a Manx resting on the water so we went a little closer to get some nice pictures when Keith shouted................

To be countinued.....