Still on a high from our encounter with orca yesterday afternoon, day 6 of Orca Watch started with beautiful flat calm seas, great visibility and high hopes for an orca encounter from the ferry. Skipper Ivor Thomas was kind enough to offer an additional free hour ferry trip (on his birthday of all days – Happy Birthday Ivor!) to orca watchers who had purchased a wristband to visit Duncansby Head and have a unique view of the famous headland from the sea and of course to look out for cetaceans and sea birds. Unfortunately, the Pentland Firth was looking very still and cetacean-less for the morning and just as the second ferry trip disembarked, the dreaded haar rolled back in from the east coast, shrouding Duncansby Head in a thick white blanket.
Tara Callahan – one of last year’s sea watch foundation interns is attending orca watch this year and helping with ferry data collection. Duncansby head visible behind her. Photo credit: Chloe Robinson/ Sea Watch Foundation.
The haar did not let up for the rest of the day, leaving Duncansby Head rather unoccupied in comparison to the previous day, with few brave souls hunkered down waiting for the haar to relinquish its grip on the east coast. Following a very damp and misty second ferry trip, day 6 of orca watch finished with no sightings which was hardly surprising with the conditions for the day. Last known sighting of killer whales was recorded in the late afternoon and consisted of between four and five animals seen heading towards the Hoy Sound from Hamnavoe. Tomorrow is set to be bright and with any luck haar-free and with an additional landwatch planned from Burwick, we are hoping we can locate orca if they happen to pass through the Pentland Firth.
Haar is back!. Photo credit: Chloe Robinson/Sea Watch Foundation.
