Great season for cetacean sightings in Isles of Scilly

Wildlife guide spots more than 1,000 dolphins

November 2010: Visitors to the Isles of Scilly have been enjoying expert help with their wildlife spotting this year - and it's all in the name of science.

BOW RIDING: Paul Semmens caught these common dolphins on camera from aboard the Scillonian III

Throughout the summer season The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust had a marine wildlife guide onboard Scillonian III as part of its Marine Biodiversity Project.

Mega fauna included dolphins, whales and basking sharks
Once a week, Paul Semmens was able to show the passengers the exciting marine mega fauna that could be spotted on the way to the Isles of Scilly, including dolphins, whales, basking sharks and sunfish. But this was not just an exercise for tourists, he was also recording the observations as part of an ongoing survey of what occurs in Cornish and Scillonian waters.

With improved weather this year compared to last year, a wealth of wildlife was spotted. The total for 2010 was an impressive 1,291 animal sightings (compared to just under 800 in 2009), which comprised of:

 ‘It was great to see so much more than last year,' said Paul, ‘and especially to pick up the rare white-beaked dolphin.'

The white-beaked dolphin is a northerly occurring species in the Atlantic and Cornwall is at the southern edge of its range.

Highlights included breaching basking sharks
Paul's other highlights included a lunge-feeding minke whale, bow-riding Risso's dolphins and breaching basking sharks. Basking sharks can occasionally be seen breaching (leaping clear of the water) particularly when they are in groups when it it is thought it may be some form of courtship display.

Paul says: ‘It's amazing that for such a normally slow-moving fish they can get enough momentum to hurl themselves completely out of the water, though their landings are far from elegant!'

57 Basking sharks were spotted of the Scilly Isles ferry.

Paul's findings, which are part of the Isles of Scilly Marine Biodiversity Project, are to be shared with MarineLife, an organisation that runs ferry-based surveys on a number of routes in Europe. The combined data will help to build up a picture of cetacean movements and distribution across the North East Atlantic through the Atlantic Research Coalition.

As the sailings have now ended Paul says ‘I would like to thank all at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, but particularly the officers and crew of the Scillonian III for help, support and humour during my work, and for making such an enjoyable and successful season'.

100 dolphins came to bow-ride the final ship of the season
Jackie Hayman from the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company said ‘The whole team at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company is delighted to be involved in the Marine Biodiversity Project again this year and we're really proud that our vessel, the Scillonian III, is central to the important work that Paul Semmens and the Wildlife Trust does.'

As a fitting ending to the season Paul saw the largest school of common dolphins of the year on his last crossing; more than 100 dolphins came to bow-ride the ship as it returned to Penzance, putting his total sightings of this species at more than 1,000 for the year.