We joined the morning DFDS sailing from Portsmouth to Jersey aboard the Stena Vinga. The reception team welcomed us on board and on the bridge we met Captain Johan Karlsson and the bridge crew who were interested in our work and helpful throughout the crossing.  It had been very windy during the night and, although the wind had now dropped, there were still many white tops on the waves.

Bird sightings were very scarce, with a dozen Gannet being the biggest number of any species until we were very close to Jersey, when a flurry of Shag appeared. All of the Gannet were adults; younger birds tend to head south to southern Biscay or west Africa for the winter. The adults will already be back prospecting their colonies – in this cast the likely the ones on Ortac and Les Étacs off of Alderney.

Between the Islands a couple more of the crew came onto the bridge in the hope of seeing dolphins.  Soon a group of six Common Dolphin crossed in front of the ship, and shortly afterwards a group of three were seen close by. However, the best sighting was kept to last when another group of three, including a juvenile, went straight across almost under the bow.

Approaching Jersey, and with the light diminishing, we finished the survey. Many thanks to all the crew of the Stena Vinga for their help and for making us so welcome aboard.

Judith Tatem and Helen Mears, Research Surveyors for MARINElife (Registered Charity No. 1110884; Registered Company No. 5057367)