Dorset Wildlife Trust has released details of its wildlife watching cruises for 2013. The cruises offer the opportunity to discover and learn about Dorset’s magnificent marine and coastal wildlife and environment (without getting wet!) and take place on Friday10th May and Saturday 8th June.
The events were conceived to celebrate World Oceans Day on 8th June – an internationally-recognised celebration of our watery world, providing opportunities for people to learn more about the ocean and how to take action to help conserve it.
Nicky Hoar, Communications Officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “Due to popular demand, we are running cruises on two dates, giving more people the chance to join in. Come and experience the beauty of Dorset by boat whilst benefiting from onboard experts who will be on hand to point out wildlife, answer any questions and talk about the local hotspots for wildlife and what we can do to protect them.”
Wildlife watchers on board the cruise last year were treated to a spectacular dolphin display by a pod of 8 bottle-nosed dolphins as well as sightings of nesting seabirds along the cliffs. Nicky added: “We have timed both the cruises during the bird nesting season so we’ll be looking for seabirds including guillemots, kittiwakes and puffins. We might even be lucky and spot marine mammals again this year. Some of species recorded over the last year off Dorset are white-beaked dolphins, common dolphins, harbour porpoise as well as a breaching thresher shark, sunfish and minke whale, so you never know, anything could happen and it shows just how rich our seas are.”
The World Oceans Day cruises are on Friday 10th May and Saturday 8th June, leaving Poole Quay at 7pm and travelling through Poole Harbour and west to Dancing Ledge before arriving back at 10pm. Tickets cost £15 for adults and £7.50 for under 16s with booking essential as demand is expected to be high. To book your place on a World Oceans Day Cruise, please visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events or ring 01305 264620.
