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If you’re someone who gets seasick merely at the thought of being on a boat yet, then land-based dolphin watching is the way to enjoy these magnificent creatures. You definitely don’t have to be out on the ocean to enjoy the delights of seeing dolphins cavorting as there are many UK locations where you can keep both feet on solid ground yet have an unforgettable natural encounter. If you use a car hire comparison website to get yourself a good deal, you can turn it into a summer dolphin-watching road trip.
A total of 28 species of dolphin have been seen in the seas around the UK, including striped dolphin, short-beaked dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, and harbour porpoise. Spotting dolphins takes both patience and practice, but seeing these creatures is always memorable, even if it’s only a glimpse of a fin. There’s a sense of wonder at knowing there’s a highly intelligent creature there beneath the water, a sense of anticipation of whether you might see it again. In summer some dolphins come in much closer to shore; the sea is also generally calmer, making spotting easier.
Try to get up as high above the ocean as you can, on top of a car or building if you can’t be on a cliff top. Scan the sea looking for interruptions or breaks in the water, a sign that a dolphin may have surfaced. If you’re unlucky, it’ll merely be a wave (and nine times out of ten it is). If you’re lucky, it’ll be a dolphin. If you’re seriously lucky, it’ll be a pod.
Western Scotland is a particularly good destination for dolphins, not only because the seas are rich in cetacean fauna, but also because of the many headlands which extend out into the ocean. You can drive to the most westerly bit of mainland Britain, Ardnamurchan Point, and to the most westerly tip on the Isle of Skye, Neist Point. Other recommended spots that don’t involve a trip on a boat are Red Point, south of Gairloch in the western Highlands, Cape Wrath on the northern tip of Scotland.
Bottlenose dolphins tend to occur in pods of about 10 animals. Common dolphins, which are regularly seen in these waters, occur in larger groups than bottlenose dolphins. Superpods of more than 100 dolphins have been spotted!
Each year, in August, the Sea Watch Foundation runs a national whale and dolphin spotting week, though you can report your sightings to the foundation at any time. Scientists use the information to know where particular species occur, to spot changes in distribution that are more than seasonal variations, and to help in conservation measures.
Using the zoom lens on your camera to take photos of the dolphins you spot can be used for more than updating the wall on your Facebook page. Many dolphins have unique colour variations or patterns as well as scars or marks on their fins that researchers can use to identify individuals.
