Survey Route: Dover – Calais

Bird sightings in the Channel were sporadic comprising of Herring Gull, Great and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Kittiwake, Gannet and a single Sandwich Tern

The survey produced a few marine mammal sightings, a Harbour Porpoise, a Grey Seal and a Harbour Seal

Bird sightings were sporadic comprising of Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Gannet and a single auk and tern seen

About halfway through the return trip, two Gannet were seen diving into the sea about 500 metres off the starboard bow. A quick scan of the area around them revealed two Harbour Porpoise

With the sea state increasing as we crossed the Strait, the likelihood of spotting cetaceans appeared to be diminishing. Then a dark shape was glimpsed among the waves ahead of the vessel, followed by the sight of two Harbour Porpoise surfacing and disappearing several times as they crossed our bow

Seabird activity was consistent throughout the crossing, it was particularly pleasing to see a large flock of Kittiwake

We kept concentrating on the water ahead and were eventually rewarded by the sighting of a single Harbour Porpoise, swimming slowly within 200 meters of the ship

As we approached France, a Harbour Seal was spotted among a raft of Herring Gull

During this time a Grey Seal was seen, swimming slowly ahead of the ship a better sighting than the brief splash of a seal Pat had seen earlier

We did, however, see two species of cetacean. First up was a single Bottlenose Dolphin, seen swimming slowly in an easterly direction