Sightings team treated to lunge feeding minkes, Heli-Ops and lighthouses during Northern Lighthouse Board ship visit

Over the past year, we have provided training to the Northern Lighthouse Board crews aboard NLV Pharos and NLV Pole Star, teaching those on board to use Whale Track to record their sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks.

The Northern Lighthouse Board travels across Scotland and the Isle of Man, maintaining over 208 lighthouses in order to keep seafarers safe. Their lighthouses are situated in some of the most remote and spectacular locations. On route to some of these stunning locations, the crews aboard are treated to magnificent sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks. By downloading the Whale Track app and recording their encounters, the crews of both vessels will now be contributing to marine science and helping monitor our seas.

Northern Lighthouse Board Plaque, NLV Pharos, Skerryvore Lighthouse, Heli-Ops

Last week our Education and Sightings Officer, Sadie, and local HWDT volunteer, Sharyn, spent a couple of days aboard NLV Pharos conducting 'excursions' and 'land based' surveys whilst essential work was being carried out at Skerryvore Lighthouse.

After being picked up at Tiree ferry port and getting settled aboard the ship, the team set about finding the perfect watching location. Although the bridge provided perfect 360 views, the team decided the front deck was the ideal location for spotting animals close up to the vessel and further afield (the uninterrupted views and gorgeous sunshine may have played a small part in that decision too).

Shortly after setting up Whale Track onto excursion mode, the team were treated to their first sighting, as two common dolphins swam close in to the boat, associated for a couple minutes before heading off.

Once at the lighthouse, Heli-Ops set about transferring crew and resources ashore, while the sightings team chatted with some of the crew about their sightings - spyhopping pilot whales at the K5 bouy in the North Atlantic - and the significance of gathering data in deeper offshore waters which are rarely surveyed, enabling us to fill in data gaps.

NLV Pharos crew in the bridge, ensuring safe passage through the Sound of Kerrera

One of the highlights of the trip was watching the Heli-Ops taking place at Skerryvore Lighthouse, while NLV Pharos was stationary just offshore. The efficiency of both the ship and helicopter crews ensured a smooth and safe running of the operations, which was impressive to watch. During this time, the team conducted a Whale Track watch from the back deck of the vessel and saw up to 3 minke whales lunge feeding, with feeding birds overhead.

The video shows the helicopter transferring materials from the lighthouse to the vessel. Seconds after the video ended, a minke whale surfaced a few hundred metres from the boat.

A distant photo of a minke whale surfacing a few hundred metres from NLV Pharos

We'd like to thank the Northern Lighthouse Board for welcoming us aboard their ship to conduct these surveys and work with their crews on the best ways to incorporate Whale Track into their passage plans. We look forward to continuing working with the Northern Lighthouse Board on future projects.