We’ve had some overfalls as a result of wind against tide but the underlying sea state is calm at the moment and likely to remain that way for the next crucial few days. Ideally pups need a week or so of calm seas so that they can be safe in the shallows as they learn to swim. They put on weight very quickly but have to learn to control their buoyancy.

The current forecast is good for the pup but not so good for those of us waiting for things to warm up! It’s colder now than it was a month ago but it is sunny so the island looks stunning and out of the wind it’s really lovely.

Earlier this week we were enjoying a sunny (but chilly!) trip around the west side of Ramsey when we saw a young bull seal surrounded by netting. Diesel is demonstrating in the photo here just how easy it is to get tied up in this stuff (and just how good it smells to dogs and seals…)

Diesel dog investigates rope rubbish

Our hearts sank because handling a seal of that size in an attempt to help it is at best very difficult. After a quick (and brutal) passenger briefing about how dangerous seals are and how they must at all times keep clear of it we edged nearer to assess whether or not we could do anything.  It is sometimes possible to cut seals free but one has to be really careful in approach. The last successful attempt saw a seal anchored by the lobster pot buoy she was attached to and Tim putting a fender in her mouth so that she could bite that rather than him!

Fenders and boat hook to hand we approached gently and had the good luck to be able to move the netting in the opposite direction to the way the seal was moving so we were able to haul the netting on board safely out of the way.  Neither of us could believe how lucky we had been. We dragged the rope and netting behind the console, where Diesel began to investigate enthusiastically.

We dragged the rope up the steps at St Justinian at the end of the day and then disposed of it, much to Diesel’s disgust. It’s easy to see why seals would be interested in this stuff.

Diesel and Tim prepare to remove rope

The auks, perhaps confused by all the sunshine, haven’t been much in evidence for the last couple of days but it’s normal at this time of year for them to be coming and going, getting to know their mates again etc. The usual pattern is that they’re in when the weather is good and they go back out to sea when it’s more blustery but they spent quite a bit of time on the ledges in the sunshine last week.

We’re continuing to see really good numbers of seals.

This isn’t a photo of that particular lucky porpoise but it gives an idea of how beautiful they are. They’re often overshadowed by the rather showier dolphins but they’re fascinating in their own right.

Porpoise photo

There’s a particularly awkward gap (even by Ramsey’s standards) next to ‘the middle Bitch’ as the rock is known that only Tim drives through. Just as he was negotiating the rocks underwater to drive through the gap the otter popped up so he had to reverse back through – not bad manoeuvring even for Tim!

The guys were too busy enjoying watching the otter to photograph it but if you’d like to see a video of the spot it was seen, please check out our ‘Bitches reef on a calm day’ video.

I once saw otters in Joensuu, Finland so I’m trying (but largely failing) not to be too jealous. Arnold, who’s working with Tim today has spotted otters off St John’s Point near St Justinian but until today they’ve never been seen from the boat.

Another tough day at the office for Tim and Arnie!

The RSPB are deploying 150 plastic decoy puffins around the island in a bid to lure the real thing back to Ramsey. The species was last recorded breeding here in 1894.

Sometime prior to this date, brown rats first arrived on Ramsey, probably via shipwrecks. Being burrowing nesting birds, puffin’s eggs and chicks were easy prey and the species soon became extinct as a breeding bird on Ramsey.

In the winter of 1999/2000 the RSPB undertook an ambitious yet successful project to rid the island of rats. In the 8 years since the island has been rat free, Manx shearwaters, another burrow nesting sea bird that managed to cling on during the “rat years”, have seen their population double, while storm petrels were discovered breeding on the island for the first time in 2008. It is likely that they bred here prior to rat colonisation but, being a difficult species to survey, there are no records.

The return of puffins would complete the success story. However, they are gregarious birds and despite seeing small numbers around the island during the season, they are reluctant to make that all important first flight up on to land. It is hoped that the sight of others of their species already apparently occupying the island will encourage the real thing to investigate further.

This method has been used successfully elsewhere, on Ailsa Craig (an island off Scotland with a similar rat history) and on Eastern Egg Island off Maine in the USA.

Great Northern Diver info.

As a boat operator (Venture Jet) we use a range of forecast sites but the following are some of the most user friendly and accurate in our experience. We select either Pembroke or Milford Haven as the closest options but our weather is so localised that it’s not uncommon for the weather to be different in different parts of the St Davids area, or indeed to change in a matter of minutes!

Windfinder – easy to read and pretty reliable, particularly the 3 day Super Forecast. Gives wind direction and strength, wave height (swell) and an indication of likely rainfall.

Met Office – pressure, wind and rainfall charts.

Met Office – easy to read 5 day forecast. Select Wales then Milford Haven.

Ma Sime’s Surf Report for Whitesands beach, St Davids. Updated daily by the bods from Ma Simes surf shop – really useful info and a daily surf pic to show you what you’re missing!