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A 6 metre long whale caused a stir at Swanpool on the 1st February when it came right into the bay giving spectators the amazing experience being in such close proximity to this wonderful mammal.

There was huge excitement when the majestic creature was spotted swimming in the bay, however when the whale started coming closer to the shore, spectators called for help due to concerns that the animal was going to strand. Volunteers of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT) Marine Strandings Network monitored the whale's position throughout the day but luckily the whale stayed clear of the beach.

The whale was thought to be either an adult minke whale or juvenile fin whale, both of which are often seen around Cornwall.

cetaceans you might see around cornwall...

Fin Whale

After the Blue Whale this is the 2nd biggest animal that has ever lived on earth. The largest Fin Whales are truly enormous at lengths of over 26m, though most are about 18-22m. It is also one of the fastest whales, able to swim at up to 40mph for short bursts! Last year Fin Whales were seen off the Cornish coast near Porthscatho.

Minke Whale

The minke whale is the smallest and most abundant baleen whale, growing up to 10m in length and weighing in at about 6 tonnes. It is found throughout the world's oceans, from the Arctic to the Antarctic and is the whale most likely to be seen from the shore in the UK. In fact during the summer of 2007 over 40 minke whales were recorded around the coast of Cornwall alone. Minkes in British waters often swim close to boats allowing the distinctive white bands on their fins to be seen. At close quarters you can also smell their breath (which is more cabbagy than fishy!) leading people to call them manky or stinky whales!

Common Dolphin

The aptly named Common Dolphin is seen very frequently around Cornwall and this winter huge "superpods" of over 1000 animals were observed. They are smaller than Bottlenose Dolphins and can be easily identified by the distinctive, yellowish "hourglass" markings on their sides. Very friendly and inquisitive, often swimming close to boats and riding their bow waves.

Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphins living in colder waters such as around Britain are often much larger than those found in warmer climes. For example Bottlenoses living off Florida were found to be 2.5m on average whereas those living in Moray Firth, Scotland are nearer 4m long. Famously acrobatic, they can perform spectacular leaps clear out of the water. They are also known to come very close inshore and this January one was spotted in the River Fal as far upstream as the King Harry Chain Ferry!

Harbour Porpoise

Harbour porpoises are smaller and much more shy than dolphins and have a stubby nose as opposed to the dolphins pronounced beak. When they come to the surface to breath they make a loud puffing noise and show their back and small triangular dorsal fin.

top tip for spotting...

Look out for groups gannets circling and diving into the water - they will be feeding on a shoal of fish and there may well be whales or dolphins in on the feast as well.

Photos:
Whale at Swanpool. Alan Taylor CWT Marine Strandings Network volunteer.
CWT Marine Strandings Network volunteers hard at work moving a bottlenose dolphin off the beach to transport it to the vet for post mortem examination. CWT Marine Strandings Network.
Fin whale. Lori Mazzuca, www.lorimazzuca.com
Gannet. Alan D. Wilson

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