The best time to see minke whales in Scotland is from the end of May to September. Dolphins and porpoise are here all year round. Our local area is one of the best areas in Scotland for porpoise and we see them on the vast majority of summer trips. There is a population of about thirty bottlenose dolphins which we regularly see. However, as they are wild animals, we cannot guarantee sightings of any particular species.
Common (or Harbour) Porpoise
The Firth of Lorn is a Special Area of Conservation for rocky reefs, flapper skate and porpoise; all damaging fishing has been banned in the SAC for more than a decade, only eco-friendly hand diving for scallops and creel fishing are allowed. As a result, there has been a 286% increase in porpoise numbers and this is one of the best places in Europe to see this delightful species. We encounter porpoise throughout the year and they are seen on most of our summer trips (read more)
Elsewhere in the UK fishermen use tangle nets, set on the seabed. These nets drown up to ten thousand porpoises per year, whales and dolphins are also at risk. We hope that the recovery here will lead to further protection from these nets.
It used to be believed that porpoise had power over the winds, and would predict storms by gambolling about. The old sailors’ expression used to be “When the sea-hog (porpoise) jumps, man the pumps”!
At nearly twice the length of the common dolphin and five times as heavy, the bottlenose dolphin has a short beak and protruding lower jaw, giving the appearance of having a cheeky grin. Its high dorsal fin is situated in the middle of its back, which is a more subdued brownish-grey, with paler underparts. (read more)
These inquisitive dolphins are usually seen in smaller groups of ten or so animals, swimming at around 2 miles per hour, but can reach up to 20 mph if alarmed. The babies, called calves, are born in the summer months, and stay with their mother for up to six years.
The Latin name for this, the smallest of the baleen whales, means ‘sharp-snouted’, and this is a very accurate description. (read more)
Weighing in at eight tons, this gentle giant of West Coast waters is very regularly seen during our summer and autumn boat trips. There is always a chance of seeing whales on our three hour trips but the chances are much better on four and five hour Whale Spotting Cruises.
Our Skipper’s 25 years experience of such encounters and intimate knowledge of the best locations gives you the greatest chance of seeing these impressive leviathons. The young whales are especially inquisitive, and often come very close, and indeed under the boat, as if to show they are as curious about us as we are about them.
When the whales are feeding on bait balls (shoals of small fish) we see accompanying rafts of frenzied seabirds, wheeling and diving, as they feed on the fish forced to the surface by the whale’s feeding activity.
Widely accepted as amongst the most intelligent of all animals, dolphins are regularly spotted moving in schools of 10 or more. In fact, schools of hundreds and even over a thousand are sometimes reported. (read more)
These fish eating mammals dive to a depth of 300 metres, and will usually stay submerged for between 10 seconds and two minutes, however they are capable of staying underwater for anything up to eight minutes, before returning to the surface to breath.
The two metre long common dolphin weighs around 110 kilos, and has black sides and upper flanks, with broad yellow and white on its lower sides, fading to grey towards the tail.
The blunt, rounded and beak-less head are the most distinguishing features of Risso’s Dolphin. At nearly four metres long, and with a long, sickle-shaped fin, these dolphin’s are a similar sized to Bottlenose Dolphins, however they can appear even larger because of their shape. These slow, graceful swimmers are usually seen near to the coastline.
A medium sized dolphin, with a black body and white throat and belly. This dolphin has a short, white beak. We have seen these dolphin’s forming a mixed group (or pod) with Bottlenose Dolphins.
Orca (or Killer Whale)
Despite its alternative name, the Orca, or Killer Whale, is in fact a member of the Dolphin family. A small pod of this rare and beautiful creature lives in the Hebrides, and a chance encounter can never be ruled out. With its very large dorsal fin, and white and black patterning, this is perhaps the most distinctive cetacean encountered on our trips.