The CRRU 2008 photo scrapbook is now on-line folks! It can be reached via the link on the left hand side bar of the CRRU website home page (Click on the ”Join us as a member of the research team…” icon) or find it via the Research Activities pages under “CRRU summer field courses” – in both cases pan right down to the bottom of this page, where you will see the link to “Scrapbook 2008” along with all the previous year’s scrapbook links. Alternatively, the direct link is http://www.crru.org.uk/research/scrapbook2008.htm if none of this makes any sense, ha ha.

There’s still plenty of room for more pictures from you, if anyone has any amusing photos they would like to post to us at scrapbook2008@crru.org.uk?

Enjoy – and thanks to all of you who joined us this summer, for making it such a fun, productive and truly memorable 2008!

With all our good wishes and thanks!

Kev, Marina, Dale, Pine and Andreas
2008 CRRU Research Team

CRRU EW Volunteers 2008

A HUGE thank you to all our EW CRRU volunteers who joined us this summer!!! Love you all and hope you have all re-integrated back into "normal" life after your Gardenstown/CRRU experiences. Dreams come true to you ALL! See u next year! K & team

Photos from bnose encounter, 24 Sep 2008

Some photos from this encounter:

DOLPHINS DOLPHINS - EVERYWHERE!

Here I am, back in Gardenstown again! After offering to help with the last Earthwatch team of the season, I have to say, news of 3.5M waves, and the thought of taking on the formal title of 'staff' for the next 11 days, I began to wonder what I'd let myself in for.

But here I am, the sea has flattened out, and the whitecaps subsided. We've been able to take to the water in full force with both survey vessels, to effectively cover the study area. The harbour porpoise are in tight groups, congregating to breed. We're regularly encountering groups of 10 to 20 porpoise - how lucky for us, when previously they've only been spotted in ones or twos.

But this Wednesday was amazing! We were just east of Lossiemouth in Spey Bay, searching for Minkes, when we came across the most humongous group of bottlenose. Previously, the largest group size encoutered was 44 animals, but on this occassion there were in excess of 60 animals - in fact, there were just too many to be able to record them all. We did manage to formally identify 54 individuals. Among them 14 calves and 3 neonates. We didn't know which way to look, it was like being in a dolphin playground. One calf, bow riding and banging into the boat for the fun of it. Leaping and playing, males showing off - ever hopeful, another youngster, right in front of the boat in a vertical position under the water, looking straight up at us - what a show they put on for us - amazing!

I have to say though, I've never been so cold in my life! But I wouldn't have missed the experience for the world; who cares if the odd finger or toe falls off! (I've been accussed of over dramatising the cold!)

After earlier working with the amazing mostly american team, then the energetic and enthusiastic teacher team, I thought for certain there couldn't be a group to match them. But how wrong I was! I'm working with an awesome, all female group from the US to Europe. Including Suzanne, who has completed 20 Earthwatch projects, and this is her second time with CRRU. The only person I've met who has tasted a dolphins milk!

HIGH 5 TO TEAM FIVE!

Hope you're all having the best of times, can't believe it's already the middle of August!  With typically unpredictable UK weather, I guess that matches the unpredictability of spotting a cetacean!

Anyway, do report all news of what you're up to, how Marina's  database is coming on? and any nice pics of the odd sighting, tagging, rescue........ will be sure to help the rest of us through our working week.

The very best of weeks to you all.

Baby Seal Stranding!

I decided to remain behind and unwind on my last day, but within 2 minutes of the group leaving, Kevin was called: Baby Seal Stranding! We quickly drove over to Crovie to find a young baby seal next to the pier. Kevin checked it out. It was healthy, bright eyed, and fat. We carried it to the edge of water where it swam away. It lingered around the pier for a while before heading east. Good LUCK little seal! Great Day! Happy ending!
Jacki

P.S. A grand thank you to Kevin and the team. And Bev, you're beautiful!

WE SAW MINKE!! AND DOLPHIN, AND SEALS AND .........

Just a quick post, as dinner is in the oven, but already late because I've been working on environmental projects for my office, (yes, I know I'm still on holiday!)

Anyway, having spent the last week helping out back in GT, thought it only fair to share my glee.

Arrived Sunday evening, completely dazed - was I really back in Gardenstown? I'd kinda' convinced myself last years experience was all a dream.  

Monday - What a glorious Monday, baking hot, seals at Fraserburgh, and the longest most scenic drive to the supermarket imaginable - if you forget ought, you certainly just go without it!  Quick rundown on the next team, 4 from America, 1 from Henley on Thames. The usual devoted team of staff, fixing and cleaning the land rover, running repairs and maintenance on the boats.  But most of all, we wait to meet the new team - for whom there is much to do.

What a fantastic bunch!  Jackie, Caroline, Lucas, Chloe and Mackenzie - Mackenzie is quickly re-named Zeezee - which suits her grand!

The rest is a blur of intro presentations, suit fitting (Oh, how I looooove those new suits - and the woolly bears, ooohh!)  question asking, more questions - we wanna see dolphins, we wanna see minke, we wanna see porpoise, seals, puffins, herons, gannets ..........  Think they've forgotten they only have 11 days, not the whole summer!  The thirst for knowledge and encounters was fantastic.  We laughed 'til we ached, ate 'til we burst, and some drank 'til they almost fell down! (I mention no names!)

First day out on the boat, it seems like we're hardly out of Whitehills and there's my minke!  Minke Minke Minke!  I was convinced I wouldn't see one because of the weather forecast.   Sooo big, and then Kev says it's juvenile!  You can read the facts and figures, but when you see them - nothing can prepare you for their presence.  How do they roll, turn, blow, strike, how do they propel that huge body?  Power and grace beyond belief.  Everyone is so happy, but that's not to be it - dolphins, dolphins, dolphins - they're everywhere, so spread out, leaping, chasing us, riding along side us - "count, count" - "start counting again".  Kevin recognises every one of them by eye, I can hardly write their identification numbers down as fast as he spots them.  The joy on his face as he makes more confirmations for this season that individuals, and babies, have survived the winter.  I truly believe he is as relieved as I am when my teenagers arrive home at 3am.

We had two days like this, PLEASE POST SOME OF THE PICTURES GUYS!  

I could go on and on - but dinner is spoilt now - and kids are moaning, all I must say is a massive massive THANK YOU to the volunteer team, it was fantastic working with you guys, and I do hope our paths cross again.

PLEASE post your news for the rest of the week, use the comments tab on this post if you like,  and lots of pics for everyone to share in - we've got to get through being back in the office somehow!  Remember, Pine says Dolphin Assisted Therapy should consist of friends spotting dolphins, sharing the news, which spreads the joy!   

I'll post again soon, but guys - come on, what did today bring?!

Bev