Online Diary

Our activities continue to be hampered by the unseasonal, unsettled weather that is plagueing the British Isles this summer.

To find out where the current hot spots of whale and dolphin activity are, take a look at the Recent Sightings page on www.mwdw.net.

Surveys can only be undertaken when the sea conditions are suitable and allow proper observation. Consequently, surveys will inevitably be cancelled or even abandoned because of adverse weather conditions. Although it might appear to be a balmy summer’s day on land, even a slight sea close to shore can often mask much rougher water further out. Once the sea state gets higher than a 2, we begin to loose sight of small cetaceans and once the sea state reaches a 3, any data cannot be used for statistical analysis.

With the threat of further unsettled weather to come, we have decided to postpone our video diaries and weekly reports. To see whales and dolphins in their natural habitat is a true privilege and we really want to share this experience with you. We will closely monitor the weather forecasts reports over the coming months and choose days that will give us the best chance of capturing some really good footage.

If you’d like to experience the thrill of seeing a whale or dolphin in the wild, take a look at our leaflet, which suggests the best times and locations for observing from shore. If you’d like to get out on the water and even closer to these amazing animals, the leaflet lists a number of charter boat operators. The leaflet can be downloaded here

Don’t forget to log on for our July summary report which will go live on 1st August and. make sure you don’t miss the third and fourth video clips – when the weather at sea improves!

The schedule is as follows:

1st June, Summary of the findings from the May Survey Trips

1st July, Summary of the findings from the June Survey Trips

2nd July, Weekly report

6th July, The first Video Diary goes live*

9th July, Weekly report

13th July, The second Video Diary goes live*

1st August, Summary of the findings from the July Survey Trips

* If bad weather delays filming, the Video Diaries may appear later than scheduled

For further information on the Manx Whale & Dolphin Watch click here or download the new leaflet about spotting Whales, Dolphins & other marine life here