My third survey for MARINElife began with meeting Carol in Dover on what was promised to be a warm and sunny day. As always, she provided a very warm welcome and effortlessly guided us through collecting our passes and boarding the Côte d’Opale. This time, before heading up to the bridge, we were escorted to the crew mess where we were offered coffee and even breakfast – a very welcome start to the day.

Once on the bridge, we were greeted by the Captain and bridge officers and soon settled in ready to begin observations. Conditions looked excellent as we left Dover, with calm seas and plenty of sunshine. However, partway through the outward crossing, we reached a bank of thick fog, reducing visibility enough that we were forced to pause the survey for over 20 minutes. Fortunately, the fog eventually thinned, and we were able to resume observations for the remainder of the journey to Calais.

Bird activity was noticeably quieter than on previous surveys, which was to be expected given that many seabirds are busy nesting at this time of year. One of my favourite birds to see, Gannets, were present only in small numbers, which made completing “Gannet Bingo” – recording all the different age classes of Gannet – rather difficult. Even so, there were still some rewarding sightings. The standout bird of the outward crossing was a single Manx Shearwater, which is always a pleasure to see from the ferry.

The journey back to Dover was much the same in terms of weather, with warm sunshine and calm seas making for very pleasant surveying conditions. Although patches of fog remained, visibility never deteriorated enough to require another pause in observations. Bird activity remained quiet, but the conditions made for an enjoyable crossing and allowed us to keep a good watch throughout.

The survey produced a few marine mammal sightings, a Harbour Porpoise, a Grey Seal and a Harbour Seal. Several Harbour Seal could be seen hauled out on the beaches of Calais, providing excellent views before we turned around for the return crossing.

As Dover harbour came back into view, I reflected on what had been another thoroughly enjoyable survey. The sightings may not have been numerous, but the marine mammals and Manx Shearwater made for a memorable day on the Channel. It is always a pleasure to spend a day surveying with Carol, who undoubtedly keeps me entertained during the quieter periods and is always happy to listen to my stories as we drift into conversations about life far beyond seabirds and marine mammals.

Our thanks go to DFDS, the Captain of the Côte d’Opale, their officers and crew for making our survey possible. We also wish to thank the staff on shore for their assistance and support.

Holly Kembrey and Carol Farmer-Wright, Research Surveyors for MARINElife (Registered Charity No. 1110884; Registered Company No. 5057367)

Weather

Outbound – good to very poor visibility, sunny with glare and occ. fog, winds S to W force 4-5

Return – good to poor visibility, sunny with occ. fog, wind SW-WSW force 4-6