Forever Changes


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Join week long cetacean and basking shark surveys onboard the Forever Changes

Colin Speedie, is the project leader of the Wildlife Trusts Basking Shark project and in the past has lead shark survey expeditions aboard his vessel Forever Changes. Although cetaceans are recorded during each survey, he has now decided to add dedicated cetacean surveys to his expeditions and invites you to come along!

All holiday surveys this year depart from Arisaig, Scotland. And each survey will be of six days duration and will commence on the Saturday at 3:00pm and finish on the following Thursday at 3:00pm. The total cost per person, per week, is £500 with all food included.

A full safety briefing on the vessel, its emergency equipment and your personal safety will be given before departure. Departure time from port will normally be around 5:00pm. During the following survey days we will cover a considerable distance under sail, conducting line transect surveys throughout our study area. We sail at all times when there is sufficient wind and will expect to cover around 200 nautical miles in a five-day survey, weather permitting. Some survey legs may be long, entailing an early start and over 12 hours at sea.

Participants will take part in as many aspects of the survey as possible, from observing, recording data, steering the boat, to making the tea! There may also be opportunities for persons with the relevant photographic or video skills to assist with photo-identification of animals, using the boat's equipment. Nights will be spent on board, usually on a mooring or at anchor. We shall take every opportunity to find ourselves a quiet spot for the night, perhaps in a river or quiet bay and you will, of course have an opportunity to stretch your legs ashore. Meals will be taken on board most of the time, although we take an occasional meal ashore.

Forever Changes is a Dufour Frers 39, built in La Rochelle in 1983 and is a fast, stable easily handled craft with impeccable manners in all sailing conditions. She is very comprehensively equipped navigationally with GPS, Plotter, Radar, VHF and Sonar. She carries a spinnaker and a cruising chute for light weather conditions, and has a 50hp diesel engine for those occasions when the wind is too light for us to sail. She carries full emergency and safety equipment conforming to the latest standards, including life raft, safety harnesses, lifejackets, EPIRB and flares, and is an RYA registered charter vessel. She has a Category 1 stability rating which confirms her offshore capability. She is roomy and comfortable, with a diesel heater if it gets cold. Six to eight people can be accommodated in four cabins, with two marine toilets.

For cetacean surveys please contact:

Colin Speedie
Penryn, Cornwall TR10 8BE
Telephone: 01326 373360
Email: colin.speedie@mer.org.uk

To find out more about the Basking Shark Project and Survey visit the basking shark website at http://baskingsharks.wildlifetrusts.org/

For more information about shark surveys and availability, please email: bsholidays@wildlifetrusts.org or call Val Elliott on 01636 670074.

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