Bottlenose Dolphins....Cardigan Bay

[JohnC6]

I took these on a boat trip from New Quay, Wales, into Cardigan Bay last week.We were on a week's holiday in that area. Because of the weather they did two 5 hour trips, as a well as their usual 2 hour trips ... one on Wednesday and one on Thursday. Ours ended up at 5 1/2 hours and they almost got caught out by the tide to tie up alongside the jetty at 8.00pm. As for everywhere else in the UK it was very hot..28C. We saw a group of porpoises a way off but unusally, no seals. We passed a headland where,normally, there are lots of people looking down into cove but there was no-one there..for obvious reasons. Hundreds of Manx Shearwater were on the surface but flew off as the boat neared. I did take photos but they aren't worth posting....they're just too small.Also, saw one Skua and some gannets.

I took my Canon 70-200f4 on a 7D11 and also my 100-400 Mk11. In case they came up to the boat I took my 24-105 f4 on the 5D11.All these were taken with the 24-105 f4 on the 5D11. It was too much to carry even with the help of my wife. I won't take the 100-400 again. If you need that then they have to be breaching and a bit away from the boat otherwise they're too far off to get a decent shot. The other issue, of course are the other people. About 20 were on board. One mum(about 30) was holding her 3 year old daughter who, btw kept falling asleep..5 hours was too long for a small child and she said to a chap near me against the rail taking shots of the dolphins near the boat , "Excuse me, my child can't see"

The very bright sun disc reflected in the water...shimmering. The dolphins didn't breach but came alongside the boat. On one occasion the wife of the chap next to me at the rail asked if I'd got a good photo. "Yes, I said, "of your husband's left arm, would you like me to send it to you ?." Laughing of course. I cloned it out. On these trips you just have to go with the flow and also not to dash from one side of the boat to the other,which some did, when someone shouted out a sighting..These adult dolphins had their calves with them, which the crew said were days old .In photo 4 you can see one beneath it's mum.The last photo shows two adults (mum's, I assume) each with its calf.

 

[Cobra]

Very nice John, taken in what appears to be challenging conditions.

 

[Box Brownie]

Lovely especially with mums & calves

TFS

PS I suppose on such general trips position in the boat etc is challenging and awkward at times. Do they normally(?) run some photography trips separately???

 

[JohnC6]

Very nice John, taken in what appears to be challenging conditions.

Thanks, Chris Yes,very challenging.Most times I had to manoeuvre my lens to clear a very bright sun reflection and the spray they caused was highly reflective. Light but overcast would have been much better.

Lovely especially with mums & calves

TFS

PS I suppose on such general trips position in the boat etc is challenging and awkward at times. Do they normally(?) run some photography trips separately???

Thanks,Laurence. It was great to see the calves. A first for me. I don't know about photo trips .It's a good idea. I'll do some checks because whilst waiting for the boat,which was a catamaran style but the two halves almost as one so very stable, I saw another one of their boats leave with 30 people on board. Often the dolphins would swim directly ahead of the bow but I was unable to get a spot there because three people never moved. Apart from a great experience it was also an exercise in patience...lol.

 

[engine driver]

Nice shots John.

 

[Norkie]

Lovely set, well done

 

[JohnC6]

Nice shots John.

Thanks,Peter. I wondered, for next time, if the rear of the boat would be better to get a head on as they come alongside but having said that I got some shots of them breaching just behind the boat when I was off the coast of Skye and I was in halfway along the side. It really is down to luck. On this trip they often came up in front of the bow and I was unable to see them atall.

 

[JohnC6]

Lovely set, well done

Thanks,Jak. They're a joy to watch.

 

[jerry12953]

Well done, John. You made the most of your luck!

 

[dan00001]

Amazing. I've been going to Cardigan regularly my entire life. We have the largest pod of Dolphins in Europe. You'll see them in Aberporth bay most evenings and if you take a kayak out, they'll come right up close to you. A few years ago, I was sailing my dinghy just off of Aberporth and a pod of Dolphins followed me for about half an hour, so close I could have stuck my arm out and touched them.

 

[the black fox]

super shots John

 

[JohnC6]

Well done, John. You made the most of your luck!

Thanks,Jerry. I've obviously missed your alert on Friday and only saw your reply via an alert re Peter's 'like' .today..so..apologies fo a late response.

Yes, It is down to luck . The boat was crowded 20 passengers and five hours 30 mins was a very long day. The dolphins were either alongside or ahead so no-one got a head-on shot. There was no breaching .We loved the Lampeter accomodation,the rural setting and the town,too. We think we'll return next Spring and try again re the dolphins. . Box Brownie wondered if they did 'Photo trips" but everyone who goes on them takes photos so I checked a private charter. I checked with SeaMor the company we went with.

Lovely especially with mums & calves

TFS

PS I suppose on such general trips position in the boat etc is challenging and awkward at times. Do they normally(?) run some photography trips separately???

From their website: Their bold. I mean, we might see nothing.Ugh.

Get out on the water with just your friends and family.
Durations of 1, 2 or 3 hours available.

£140 per hour
£380 for the half day charter

 

[JohnC6]

Amazing. I've been going to Cardigan regularly my entire life. We have the largest pod of Dolphins in Europe. You'll see them in Aberporth bay most evenings and if you take a kayak out, they'll come right up close to you. A few years ago, I was sailing my dinghy just off of Aberporth and a pod of Dolphins followed me for about half an hour, so close I could have stuck my arm out and touched them.

Many thanks. That sounds fantastic. I see Aberporth is only 10 miles from New Quay. We stayed in Lampeter for a week. 40 mins away.
I've just told my wife that you suggested I (we) use a kayak out of Aberporth. She's still laughing. We're retired . I'm sure we'll go again to Lampeter so we'll stick to trying our luck at Aberporth bay where the dolphin sculpture is overlooking the bay. .much safer. I wouldn't want to trouble the New Quay lifeboatmen..

 

[JohnC6]

super shots John

Thanks,Jeff. A great trip and I love being out on the sea, anyway.

 

[dan00001]

Many thanks. That sounds fantastic. I see Aberporth is only 10 miles from New Quay. We stayed in Lampeter for a week. 40 mins away.
I've just told my wife that you suggested I (we) use a kayak out of Aberporth. She's still laughing. We're retired . I'm sure we'll go again to Lampeter so we'll stick to trying our luck at Aberporth bay where the dolphin sculpture is overlooking the bay. .much safer. I wouldn't want to trouble the New Quay lifeboatmen..

If you walk down past the shop, past the park on your left, down to the headland, there is a grass area with benches where you can sit. You'll have a better vantage point here over the bay and higher up. You'll also be next to a small place where you can get coffee/tea etc.

 

[JohnC6]

If you walk down past the shop, past the park on your left, down to the headland, there is a grass area with benches where you can sit. You'll have a better vantage point here over the bay and higher up. You'll also be next to a small place where you can get coffee/tea etc.

Thank you..I've made a note of that.