Tay Dolphins


	These photographs were all taken during the course of two trips taken by MVS Tay vessels Marigot and Badger on the morning of 5th August 2007. This trip was a charter of both vessels by the Countryside Rangers and it proved that getting up early in the morning (the first trip left at 7 am) is sometimes worth the effort. All images are copyright - contact Ken Bushe, MVS Tay

	Click for an earlier page on River Tay Dolphins and more images



	An A4 Print is available of this image.

	During our approach to Broughty Harbour not a single dolphin was seen, even through binoculars in a calm sea and good visibility, but while we were still boarding passengers, a pod suddenly appeared off the harbour and a single dolphin even came into the harbour entrance. From the moment we left on the first trip to the time we returned to harbour, around thirty dolphins in total appeared around both vessels at varying distances. The video below taken by Pat Lawrence includes film from this trip


	Video content - copyright Pat Lawrence. Contact www.mvstay.org




	Badger stays perfectly still as several dolphins jump around her.



	Two dolphins “corkscrewing” next to Badger



	A tightly packed group converge on Marigot. They exhale quite loudly and in the still morning air, every breath they made could be clearly heard. This pod passed within feet of our vessel.



	Swimming alongside. The slightest movement of their tails, sometimes it seems like only a tremor, moves them through the water with amazing speed for such an economy of effort. Close up, the sheer size of these large creatures underwater adds to the sense of effortless movement and perfectly controlled, directed power.



	Some idea of the power in each stroke of their tails can be seen from the footprint in the water in the wake that they leave behind them. This one wasn’t even trying.



	An A4 Print is available of this image.


	Most of the activity took place just off Broughty Ferry Castle


	Dolphins weren’t the only animals on the water.




	Two kinds of seals are to be found around our coasts - the common seal and the cheeky seal - this was a cheeky seal



	Quite a few gannets were around - there seems to have been a sudden increase in the food available in the river. Salmon are running now, as well as seatrout and smaller fish - possibly also mackeral and sandeels.


	This was positively identified as ....”a wee aquatic bird”....can anyone help?


The Dolphins seen in the River Tay over recent years are considered to be members of the Moray Firth Bottlenose Dolphin population. Whether these are a “breakaway” group intent on re-colonising the waters around the Tay Estuary or some of the Moray Firth pod on their summer holidays, remains to be seen. They can be seen within the Tay Estuary from around March to September although this year (2007) they were much later in appearing. The possibility that in the long term these dolphins are becoming residents cannot be discounted.

	MVS Tay runs trips on Badger and Marigot throughout the summer from Broughty Ferry to enable members of the public (we hope) to see dolphins. We follow cetacean watching guidelines and do not attempt close approaches to these creatures. They do not appreciate being chased This said, the dolphins themselves often show no signs of having read these guidelines, and that’s how we do it - if they want to approach us closely, as they often do when they’ve finished feeding they are free to do so on their own terms.

		To enquire about or to book a trip on Badger or Marigot phone 01382 542516 and talk to Bob Richmond.


		An A4 Print is available of this image.

	Upside down’s pretty funny.


	So’s showing your tail after a somersault.




	An A4 Print is available of this image.

	A scientific approach to studying bottle nosed dolphins will confirm that they have sweet faces and a happy disposition.



		Individual A4 Prints are available of these images.



	Towards Tentsmuir Forest



Monifeith in the background



On Marigot’s foredeck.



Returning to Broughty Harbour.



	Click for an earlier page on Tay Dolphins and more images.

	All images are copyright - contact Ken Bushe, MVS Tay


	MVS Tay gratefully acknowledges the support and assistance of H. M. Revenue and Customs, The Port of Dundee (Forth Ports) The D. C. Thomson Charitable Trust, The Bell's Nautical Trust, Mrs. M. Robertson-Black, The Tay Charitable Trust, The St. Katherine's Fund, The Robertson Trust, The Alexander Moncur Trust, Historic Scotland, The Mathew Trust, Mr. Clive McKeag