Survey Route: Felixstowe – Vlaardingen

Although no marine mammals made an appearance on either leg, we were visited by some wondering Gannets and Sandwich Terns. 

It wasn’t until 19:30 that my one and only marine mammal sighting was recorded, a lone Grey Seal bottling for about a minute before sinking below the waves

On most routes, when we reach land we stop surveying, but the Nieuwe Maas river is such an important habitat that we survey along the river as well and that’s where we really have to up our game!

A lone Grey Seal spy-hopping behind a north cardinal marked the start of an avalanche of sightings along the river towards Vlaardingen.

Sure enough, about an hour out from the Dutch coast, our vigilance was rewarded with three sightings in a few minutes, firstly two animals swimming together, then two sightings of apparently lone individuals, all off the port bow and fairly close to the vessel

The highlight of my observations was seeing several Eurasian Spoonbills sweeping their heads and sifting the shallows for food as we entered the river

We arrived at Felixstowe in glorious weather so were hopeful of good surveying conditions for the passage. We headed to the port complex and completed the embarkation formalities at the respective Border Force and DFDS offices. We had to wait a short while until the ship was ready to receive us, however, once on board…

Leaving the river behind we spotted two Harbour Porpoise swimming slowly off the starboard bow

A falcon then appeared, flying around the bow of the vessel and settling on a rail above the cargo deck, allowing identification as a Merlin

By the time I arrived on the bridge the following day the ship was 25 miles from the Dutch Coast. I was welcomed by the officer on watch and was later greeted by Captain Torben Sekjaer.