West cork whale watchers are being treated to large gatherings during low season whale activity has increased since april with a number of humpback whales spotted off the west cork coast. Our experienced, professional skippers know the best locations in west cork for whale and dolphin watching. Wild west cork episode 3 the humpback whale youtube. Micheal cottrel, owner of baltimore sea safari confirmed the humpback sighting, and photographs obtained by irish whale and dolphin group iwdg members simon duggan and youen yacob allowed the iwdg to confirm the young animal as a brand new addition to the irish humpback whale. Episode 3 of wild west cork looks at humpback whales and discusses the photographic techniques used to capture great shots of these amazing marine mammals. First humpback whales 3 of the 2018 irish whale watch.
A killer whale attacking a group of dolphins was witnessed by a charter boat operator off the coast of west cork in what experts say is a very rare event in irish waters. The first film in the wild west cork series takes a look at the minke whale, a regular visitor to the west cork coastline. Adults can get up to 52ft in length, and up to 79,000lbs. Baltimore sea safari operate whale and dolphin watching as part of our 2.
Whale watch west cork baltimore 2020 all you need to. The boat voyager leaves baltimore harbour daily at 9. Whale watching in west cork ireland baltimore sea safari. Killer whales attract huge attention in cork harbour. Sep 15, 2017 whale watching with nic and west whale and dolphin tours. A short drive or a cheap flight will get you to county cork, and our purpose built whale watching vessel, the holly jo provides the ideal platform for that onceinalifetime experience. West cork whale watchers are being treated to large. Venue details baltimore west cork west cork holidays. Join colin barnes on a whale watching trip in west cork cork whale watch is irelands longest established whale watch operator and has been enthralling whale watchers and wildlife enthusiasts in west cork since 2001. May 03, 2011 with worldclass whale watching available off the coast of the irish republic, its an experience thats more accessible than you might think. A whale of a time in west cork ireland vacations with. Whale watching in ireland and whale watching in west cork in particular has now reached a high point for whale and dolphin watching enthusiasts the world over. Some of the species you could see from the deck of the holly jo with cork whale watch. A new humpback whale for ireland was spotted just off the coast of west cork yesterday mon 1803.
You are permitted to print and download extracts from this site provided they are not. New humpback whale for ireland spotted off west cork. When it comes to unique wildlife encounters there are few things as breathtaking and humbling as coming face to face with the worlds largest creatures. Whale watch west cork boat tour agency baltimore, ireland. Nonprofit organization based in cork, ireland, working for the protection and sustainable management of marine megafauna in irish. The irish government declared the coastal waters of ireland a whale and dolphin sanctuary during the early 1990s. It is fast and stable and has all round excellent visibility, ideal for wildlife watching tours. As baltimore is located almost 2 hours drive from cork city, many visitors may not have a car available to them so if you wish to arrange a packaged day out with a minibus, lunch and sightseeing please email us from our contact page.
Experience the very best of west cork s marine wildlife with skipper colin barnes, irelands foremost whale watch skipper, aboard the. Whale watching is becoming more and more popular in west cork as seas off baltimore are home to a fascinating variety of marine animals and birds whale watching can bring you face to face with some of the largest animals on earth. Irish whale and dolphin group dedicated to the conservation and better understanding of whales, dolphins and porpoises in irish waters. Book whale watching tours in west cork or view our competitive pricing on individual, family or group whale and dolphin watching tours in west cork. Additional local guidelines are also operated on a voluntary basis by operators in west cork, the shannon estuary, and county clare. Whale watching holiday to ireland whales worldwide. Whale watching is one of those activities use the calendar to check trip availability. Ireland baltimore west cork whale and dolphin boat trip. Dolphin and whale watching in west cork watch playful whales and dolphins in west cork in their natural marine environment. Whale watching in west cork, ireland with colin barnes cork. Nic is no stranger to adventure and leading groups to remote places on earth. He is the director of whale watch west cork which runs boat based tours to watch and photograph whales and dolphins off the coast of southwest ireland. Whale watch west cork baltimore updated april 2020 top.
All tours depart from baltimore, harbour, west cork on board voyager daily between april and november sea conditions permitting. Lough ine, lough ine nature reserve west cork holidays. Whale and dolphin watching west cork bellatrix bed and. Cork whale watch union hall 2020 all you need to know. Observe fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales common dolphins, basking sharks, harbour porpoise, sunfish and other marine wildlife in stunning scenery. An account of my first ever encounter with fin and humpback whales off the coast of west cork, ireland in november 2004, this article appeared in the uk magazine the countryman cj. The third episode of the series takes a look at the humpback whale, one of the largel rorqual species. She is fast and stable and has all round excellent visibility, ideal for wildlife watching tours. Nearly one third of the worlds known whale, dolphin and porpoise species have been recorded in irish water. Filming humpback whales off irelands south coast with. Humpback whales feeding massive pods of dolphins off. The national guidelines stipulate that passenger vessels offering whale and dolphin watching tours should.
Spy hopping humpback whale in west cork ireland may. Spy hopping humpback whale megaptera novaeangliae in the waters off west cork. A whale of a time in west cork posted on january 30, 2008 by nt while the greenpeace ship, esperanza, and australian surveillance ships track the japanese whaling fleet in the southern ocean in an effort to stop them killing minke whales and fin whales, they plan to kill 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid april, the whales and. West cork, on the irish south coast attracts minke whales, fin whales, and humpback whales to feed in its rich waters every year. Whale and dolphin watching in west cork whale watching. On a calm day, and if the cetaceans oblige it is possible to spot a variety of whales, dolphins and porpoises that grace the waters around the beara peninsula. Whale watching with nic and west whale and dolphin tours. Whale watch west corks boat, voyager is a wellequipped, twinengine catamaran, built specifically for whale and dolphin watching tours off west cork and is licensed to carry 12 passengers. Jun 11, 2001 three orca killer whales are continuing to attract huge attention in cork harbour. Colin barnes is irelands longest established and best known whale watch operator, and has been enthralling whale watchers and wildlife enthusiasts in west cork since 2001.
Whale watching updates from west cork whale watching in. It is the largest county in ireland by land area, and the largest of munsters six counties by population and area. Common dolphins, as the name suggest, are west cork s most frequently observed cetacean. Read the whale cork whale watch blog or follow us on facebook for the latest news on whale and dolphin trips and sightings from the holly jo, whale watching in west cork, cetacean conservation and. West cork is now recognised as one of the best places in europe to go whale watching and you get the dolphins thrown in for free. The first of its kind in europe, this paved the way for whale watching.
The pod of three orca killer whales which attracted thousands of spectators to cork harbour over the past fortnight was believed to be heading back out to atlantic waters yesterday. The humpback whale is one of the most spectacular of the great aquatic mammals and west cork is one of the lucky areas where you might. This video of whales and dolphins socalising in west cork is the best things that ive watched in a long long time. Whale and dolphin watching aboard voyager and liscannor star along the spectacular coast of southwest ireland and around the islands of roaringwater bay with marine zoologist nic slocum and one of west cork s most experienced wildlife skippers, brendan collins. Business more than 40% of employees working longer hours from home, survey finds. Whale watch west cork as with any wildlife watching venture, whales and dolphins can be unpredictable.
Leading the way in responsible whale and dolphin watching. West cork truly is an idyllic part of ireland, with its own balmy microclimate that enables bright pink and blue hydrangeras, orange montbretia and its signature red fuchsia to thrive and line the roads, all around and about the largest county in ireland. Humpback whales are regular visitors to the waters off west cork. As one of west cork s leading whale and dolphin watching operations, whale watch west cork is committed to an accreditation protocol, which dictates that all boat operators should be properly trained to conduct marine wildlife tours in order to maximize the opportunities for customers.
The whale watching off west cork at the moment is truly world class. For 2016 this annually recurring cycle was reversed with approx. Whale watching in ireland irish whale watching west cork. Its phenomenal to have such a concentration of humpback and fin whales feeding in an area thats so accessible to whale watchers. Responsible whale watching great news for whales, and locals. Encounters with humpback whales in west cork wcp staff february, 2020 are you interested in large whales, or curious about their conservation and research into these magnificent mammals that are returning each year to cork s inshore waters. Cork is legendary for its whale watching voyages and few do it better than nic slocum from whale watch west cork. The first of its kind in europe, this paved the way for whale watching in ireland to become a prime activity for the many visitors to this. Whale watching in west cork, ireland with colin barnes.
Frequently asked questions about whale watching in west cork. Kerry is the only other county that really competes with cork on the whale watching front. Whale watching and marine wildlife tours in west cork aboard the holly jo with irelands most experienced whale watching skipper, colin barnes. County cork is located in the province of munster, bordering kerry to the west, limerick to the north, tipperary to the northeast and waterford to the east. Ireland baltimore west cork whale and dolphin boat trip youtube. Book whale watching tours in west cork or view our competitive pricing on individual, family or group whale and dolphin watching tours in west cork, ireland. Winter whale watching in west cork good food ireland. When we leave courtmacsherry harbour which is a designated sac for birds habitat, we venture either west to the seven heads or east to hole open bay onto the old head of kinsale depending on where our latest sightings have been. Spend four unforgettable hours watching whales and dolphins onboard our vessel at close range. Colin barnes of cork whale watch is regularly asked to collaborate on both irish and uk natural history productions. When the courtmacsherry based atlantic whale and wildlife tours team embarked on their whale watching adventure in april 2018 they couldnt be sure what the year would bring. Whale watching in west cork may 3, 2011 by calvin jones 6 comments an account of my first ever encounter with fin and humpback whales off the coast of west cork, ireland in november 2004, this article appeared in the uk magazine the countryman cj. In west cork s changeable climate, trying to line up all the factors. Wild west cork is a series of films, produced by chris oconnor, which highlights some of the the regions extraordinary wildlife and offers an insightful and educational experience under the guidance of marine expert and whale watch operator, dr nic slocum.
Whale watching in west cork with colin barnes whale. Having years of experience with wildlife off the cork coast they were confident that they would have regular sightings of cetaceans such as common dolphins and minke whales. Ask any local living between kinsale and the beara, sheeps head and mizen head peninsulas where theyre from, and theyll answer west cork never. Whale watch west cork baltimore 2020 all you need to know. May 20, 2018 the humpback whale is one of the most spectacular of the great aquatic mammals and west cork is one of the lucky areas where you might catch a glimpse of the impressive whale. Drone footage captures whales swimming off the coast of cork.
Voyager is a wellequipped, twinengine catamaran, built specifically for whale and dolphin watching tours off west cork and is licensed to carry 12 passengers and 2 crew by the department of transport marine. West cork is one of the last bastions of old ireland. Cork whale watch offers wonderful opportunities to observe marine wildlife in west cork. Fin whales off galley head in west cork, december 2008. Responsible tourism award winner whale watch west cork runs responsible whale and dolphin watching tours led by zoologist and conservationist dr nic slocum. The whales and dolphins of west cork a feeding minke whale off west cork photo p.
Multiaward winning whale watch west cork runs responsible whale and dolphin watching tours led by. Six of the mammals were captured on camera by the irish whale and dolphin group from. Whale watching west cork west cork whale watching tours. Nic slocum divides his time between west cork, ireland and other iconic whale watching destinations around the world. A group of humpback whales have been spotted feeding and socialising in waters off the coast of west cork. Kayaking in west cork and sundays at lough hyne from 11am. Cork whale watch reen pier, 5 minutes from, union hall, county cork ireland rated 4. Click the button below and complete the bookingenquiry form for your. Book whale watching west cork dolphin watching tours. Whale watching west cork, west cork whale watching tours. How to contact whale watch west cork to book a boat tour in ireland. A minke whale lunges through a densely packed shoal of juvenile herring just off the west cork coast.
Whale watching in ireland irish whale watching west cork ireland. According to the website irelands wildlife, the whales. We provide whale watching and dolphin watching tours in courtmacsherry, west cork, ireland. Fundraiser for irish whale and dolphin group by simon berrow. Dec 03, 2012 the boat in the background jerry smyths wave chieftain of aquaventures dive centre in baltimore offers a real sense of scale and if you look closely youll see that all of the whale watchers on the wave chieftain are looking the wrong way. Dolphin and whale watching for two in west cork watch playful whales and dolphins in west cork in their natural marine environment.
All bookings can be made directly with whale watch west cork. Jun 20, 2015 a humpback whale was seen inchydoney beach, near clonakilty in west cork earlier this week, and even got friendly with a paddle boarder. Filming humpback whales off irelands south coast with cork whale watch. Mar 31, 2017 episode 3 of wild west cork looks at humpback whales and discusses the photographic techniques used to capture great shots of these amazing marine mammals.
We offer a 3 4 hour whale watching trip from the harbour of courtmacsherry, west cork. West cork waters are among the best places in europe to see large marine wildlife. The mammals, from a 30foot male to a young 15foot female, were first. Humpback whales get friendly with paddleboarders in cork. Video of humpback whales in cork is the best thing youll. First 3 humpback whales of the 2018 irish whale watch season off dursey island west cork ireland march 25th 2018 year on year for the last five years it just seems that humpback whales are coming to irish waters earlier in the season march, april, may and also exiting irish waters earlier than in previous seasons september, october obviously in response to the availability of food. Dolphin and whale watching in west cork golden moments. Get the info on seasonal winter whale watching in ireland from now till december is prime time for whale watching.