Wave Action

Successful basking shark surveys completed

2011-08-07T11:47:00.001+01:00

For the last two weeks we have been lucky enough to return to our old basking shark survey stamping ground in the Western Isles of Scotland.

Our intention was to survey further afield than our 2002-2006 surveys aboard S/Y Forever Changes, and build on our scoping visit in 2009 aboard S/Y Pèlerin. The overall area we planned to survey covered considerable new ground including the west coast of Skye and the east coast of the Outer Hebrides from South Uist to Barra Head. In addition to these new areas, we also re-visit the two hotspots we established in our surveys from 2002-2006 at Canna/Hyskeir and Coll.

To make this happen, some transects needed to be long and extensive. The weather was very much in our favour (fortunately), with only one gale passing through during the two weeks. Therefore we were able to work flat out from first thing in the morning until well into the evening on many days - we were very glad that the weather played its part in making our first year successful. Although only able to make the Outer Hebrides once, we surveyed long into the evenings to maximise our time whilst there – the light evenings allowing extended surveying opportunities.

During the two weeks, we managed to complete the entire circuit except for one short (yet important) leg in th outer islands, where sea conditions were just too rough for viable effort-corrected surveys. Overall, we completed nearly forty transects, recording twelve sharks and over three hundred cetaceans of six different species across our survey area - so all in all we are very pleased with the result.

We had two teams of volunteers to assist us, who all played a full role in helping us observe and record observations, sail the boat, and ultimately help us achieve our goals, so many thanks to them all: Ronnie Mackie, Dave Marshall, Bel Noon, Matt Borne, Sarah Fowler, Gary Burrows and Yvonne McCoy. Thanks too to Isle of Skye Yachts for supplying us with ‘Sleat Lady’, a comfortable Beneteau 393 that swallowed us and all of our gear in her cavernous interior, and performed pretty much flawlessly throughout. And finally thanks to the Shark Foundation of Switzerland for supporting us financially throughout.

In the event that further funding can be secured, we aim to follow this survey in subsequent years with complementary surveys to help establish additional areas important for the basking shark. But 2011 was certainly a welcome return for us to see the sharks in Scotland, and we look forward very much to being able to continue our work there.

Scottish Shark Survey 2011

2011-07-23T11:57:00.001+01:00

Colin and Lou embark on the first of a renewed programme of Scottish basking shark surveys.

We’ve headed up to the Western Isles of Scotland, to undertake two weeks of basking shark survey. We’ve left our boat Pèlerin in Morocco, and chartered a yacht out of Skye Yachts in southern Skye.

Our mission this time is to build on the knowledge gained from our 2002-2006 shark surveys undertaken in the waters around the Inner and Outer Hebrides. But this time we hope to concentrate on areas slightly more remote, to identify whether any surface-sighting hotspots exist outside of those already identified in our report to Scottish Natural Heritage in 2009.

The Shark Foundation of Switzerland continue to be generous to our mission, and we appreciate their support to help make this survey happen. Our 2011 crew consists this time not of paying volunteers, as occurred previously with our Earthwatch Europe and Wildlife Trusts projects, but of friends and colleagues from our work in shark research and conservation. We hope to spend time in the Outer Hebrides, visiting areas identified as favoured historical shark-hunting grounds, and revisiting some areas reached only briefly during our previous shark survey seasons. In 2009, Colin and myself brought our own boat Pèlerin to these waters, and very good sailing was to be had; but the weather was not ideal for survey and few sharks were encountered in these outer islands. In the last month or two there have been reports in the Scotsman newspaper of sharks at both of our previously identified hotspots, around Hyskeir and Coll, so perhaps feeding conditions are favourable for a summer of good sightings.

So as we board our survey boat today, with a favourable short-term weather forecast, a good crew, and bucketfuls of luck, we embark on our 2011 shark survey… full of amazement again at just how beautiful the landscape is, and excitement at what the next two weeks might bring.

<*))))< Louise Johnson

Passage from Spain to Morocco

2011-07-11T16:08:00.002+01:00

Trawler at sunset - we saw a lot of these (credit: L. Johnson)

Well we've arrived in Moroccan waters at last... Africa!

The sail from Cadiz in SW Spain was good; we were both excited by the thought of venturing towards a whole new continent - our first new continent on our adventure... we felt like real explorers! So excitement, mixed with a little anxiety - a night passage is never something to take lightly. This was my first night passage in over a year, and a solo night watch in new waters is enough to put shivers up your spine. Plus with demonstrations due to be held across Morocco that day (as the King has just announced a new constitution following major demonstrations recently) we weren't quite sure what would await us on arrival at Rabat - you know, the seat of Moroccan parliament, where the King lives! Nevertheless, we had a nice breeze from the NNW, so we poled out the genoa and settled into our 2-hour watch system.

As sunset approached we could see something akin to Blackpool Tower illuminations off in the distance... bit strange we thought, nothing marked on the chart... checked the AIS, which indicated a tug about 8 miles to the south of us, directly in our path, going extremely slowly - it was listed as 'engaged in tow'. Ah, it'll be towing something then. As we got closer, we realised the massive, lit structure was an exploration oil rig... oh, Lordy. The tug was still showing on our predicted path, moving ever so slowly east to west, and we're charging south. Colin goes down for some shut-eye (it is his off-watch) and I keep a watch on the tug. After 30 mins, it's clear that we're going to have to dismantle the poled-out genoa and gybe, to make sure we don't (a) run into the tug ('restricted in his ability to manoeuvre'), or (b) get our mast decapitated by some tow-line linking the tug to the rig. Neither the rig nor any of the flashing lights are marked on the chart, so we're thinking if this really is a tow (even though the tug is hardly moving), we've got to manoeuvre around behind it. It's dark by now, and more flashing lights are starting to come into view surrounding the rig. There are numerous trawlers fishing along the parallel contours to the west of us, so were trying to work out what on earth each of these pin-pricks of light ahead of us mean. I've got my well-thumbed 'Reeds Sailing Handbook' out, flicking through the navigational lights pages...
[As an aside, we really do take our visual ability for granted - as soon as it gets dark, you lose full-use of one of your most important senses, and it can be very disorientating.] The moon wasn't due to be up for a few hours, so it occurs to us how much we really rely on people using the right navigation lights (which they don't), and keeping their distance (which we always try to do!).

Anyway, we approach, not quite knowing what we're letting ourselves in for, and this turns out to be a massive operational drilling rig, and the 'tug' is not towing, but an offshore support vessel. We pass 1.5 miles to the west of the rig, which feels very close when it's so huge and lit up like a Christmas tree. Why on earth did the AIS info on the support vessel state it was a tug, that was engaged in towing? Just goes to show you can't rely on nautical charts, and you can't rely on electronic navigational aids, you can only rely on your senses - however dysfunctional they might be!

In the end, no harm done whatsoever, but we were glad to get the rig, its ships and all its flashing palaver behind us. We could then settle back to our watch system and only have the trawlers to worry about!
And what a lot of trawlers there were... how can there be enough fish for all these fishing machines?

We were lucky enough to be visited by several pods of common dolphins during the night. At sunrise we were rushed by a pod numbering well over one hundred, but they didn't take any notice of us, they were on a mission likely a feeding mission. Sadly, once they'd gone, I couldn't stop questioning why on earth we continue to be oblivious to the effects our actions are having on the marine ecosystem. Reckless extraction of everything, both under-sea and under-seabed, and thereby affecting not only the food chain but also marine species ability to adapt to an increasingly changing environment.

Sailing through the night and experiencing a welcome rising sun after a long passage does that to you. You've made it through the night, and you want all to be well with the world... I'll get off my soap-box now, they become quite unsteady at sea.

<*))))< Louise Johnson

View from the office

2011-06-17T17:48:00.002+01:00

Working and living on board a boat provides its own set of professional challenges: the continual balancing of large batteries linked to our wind and solar devices to enable the charging of multiple laptops, phones and cameras; seeking sufficient opportunities to access the internet, not just for emailing and Skype, but for the various desktop research projects we both undertake; that deadlines sometimes need to be flexible (and colleagues understanding) if we need to urgently move the boat to avoid a storm; and the most unique ‘challenge’ provided to me so far, given by an old colleague in Uganda unused to being around water, that we might drown, not get to finish our reports and never see our families again!

Colin doing emails in the cockpit

On the other hand, the advantages are good: the view from the office changes with a rather agreeable regularity; there is the daily benefit of only a 3 metre commute; and the realisation that interacting within a variety of different local cultures proves your working knowledge is only based on your experiences so far... and there’s an awful lot left to experience.

These things aside, one of the biggest differences when comparing our floating situation to a more typical brick-built, static office setup is the need to be adaptable. We have to cater for the unpredictable in a much more business-as-usual way, and factor that into our professional approach. We’ve worked extremely hard to ensure that colleagues and clients are oblivious to the way in which we work, ensuring that deadlines are met, objectives achieved and projects completed seamlessly, regardless of our time-zone, wind strength or harbour.

We are making this work because of dual needs: the need for exploration and the need to keep our feet on the ground are both very important elements to us. As the old baseball saying goes, you can’t steal second base whilst keeping your foot on first.

<*))))< Louise Johnson

Sailing where the fish fly

2011-05-20T15:39:00.000+01:00

We relaunched Pélerin about two weeks ago, and it has been superb being back on the water, anchoring in secret spots, gently rocking with the waves and feeling a sense of freedom again. A few shake-down sailing days helped us ensure that the boat was working fine, and that the few little jobs we got on with over winter were holding tight. Big thanks to the guys at the Sopromar boatyard in Lagos; not the cheapest of outfits, but the standard of work and attention to detail is impressive. And working on the boat in the yard also gave us the chance to meet a lovely American couple, Dick and Ginger who have sailed extensively on their boat Alchemy.

The sailing since our relaunch has been wonderful, and we’re switching between all our sails to give them all a good airing (and remembering the various hoisting quirks of each). We saw our first flying fish - they’re the weirdest things, looking like a gliding crucifix, but with feet. All very strange… It’s comforting to notice how well myself and Colin are once again predicting what the other does, and sometimes at the right time too! Although we’re a little rusty after 6 months of very little sailing, it shows that we’ve been building up good partnership sailing miles in the last few years (especially now we’re not surrounded by a gaggle of survey volunteers eager to pull the right rope whilst trying not to get trampled upon).

So these are good times indeed. But frustratingly, an extended spell of easterly winds and the need to wait for our outboard motor to be fixed, has forced us to sit around in Vilamoura marina for longer than anticipated. Although the people here are great, the shelter good, and the curries at Lakhsmi amazing, the resort is rather built up, a little bit bling, and there are far too many drunken Brits crawling between the bars, looking the most unlikely fitness fanatics in their branded sports outfits with beer and ketchup down their football-shirts. The upside to being forced to remain static for a few days is that we’ve been able to catch up on some work and admin chores, and also get a chance to use the fold-up bikes generously presented to us by some cruising friends we met in Lagos, Brad & Diane (…obrigada!) on their yacht Riviera Magic. I think I need some go-faster stripes to fit to the side of my bike, that might help…

But a sense of frustration is building. The need to move on is a strong one. Less developed, gorgeous locations are calling loudly: in the short term, none more so than the Guadiana River, marking the southern boundary between the Algarve and Andalucia. This narrow sliver of water snaking its way inland is famed for quiet anchorages, time-forgotten villages and wonderful birdlife. We’ll get there soon.

This morning we cast off our lines and bid adios to Vilamoura. After motoring in light winds first thing, and spotting a pod of bottlenose dolphins breaching in the bay (who then came over to see us), we had a great sail with the cruising chute (the one with the basking shark) and are now anchored (bliss!) somewhere in the lagoons just south of Faro. It’s another day’s sail eastwards to reach the mouth of the Guadiana, so we might aim to get there for Sunday night, winds allowing. That’ll also give us a day or two to potter around the sand-bars and marshes of the lagoon here. Exactly what weekends were made for!

Learning from experience

2011-02-02T12:46:00.002Z

2010 was a year that exceeded all expectations on a professional basis, but not quite so from a sailing-south perspective.

We had originally planned to get the boat south via the wildlife-rich areas of the Azores, Madeira and possibly even Cape Verdes. The potential photographic and filming opportunities pulled us strongly towards these passages offshore from the European mainland.

However, the day-to-day realities of living (and working) aboard a boat meant that plans for such passages were continually just out of reach, as contractual consultancy commitments became higher priority. With both of Lou’s two major projects culminating in huge deadlines around the end of Oct, along with a frustrating series of issues requiring attention on the boat, the last weather window for achieving serious south-bound mileage escaped us during November. With it went any hope of a 2010 Atlantic crossing from Cape Verdes to Brazil.
We resigned ourselves to the fact that, once again, when juggling passage-planning and consultancy projects, the sailing plans “seldom withstand contact with the enemy”!

On the bright side, we’ve had the chance to slow down a little, and loiter in an area of Portugal neither of us knew previously - this has also allowed us some well-earned sabbatical time off the boat. We think we’ve used this time wisely, and had time to reconsider our sailing and work plans.

Now, bring on 2011, and let us put those plans into action…

<*))))< Louise Johnson

Differing perceptions

2010-03-15T15:58:00.001Z

Avian dogfight

We’re often asked where we’re planning to go on our travels aboard. When we reply that we’re at some stage hoping to visit more remote and often colder places like Norway, Newfoundland and Chile, many people seem a little mystified. So much so that we’ve both taken to immediately adding that we’ll also be visiting places more recognisable as priority destinations, too. But many non-sailing people seem to assume that cruising is all about socialising in sunny, busy places, seeing the sights and visiting bars and restaurants, just as if we were on holiday like anyone else – and what’s wrong with that? Why go where it’s often cold, wet and desolate – there’s nothing there in any case, is there?

But the fault-line in understanding the difference in attitudes is that we’re not going on holiday, not in the conventional sense. Anyone who has planned an expedition or gone long term cruising will recognise the level of planning and preparation involved before taking the first step towards ‘the elusive goal’. It’s not a fortnight off work we’re looking forward to here - yet handling all of the hassles typically associated with that is usually stressful enough, isn’t it?

So many sailing destinations now just cater for a slightly varied form of the same theme, it’s difficult to differentiate between them. After the first few rum punches, the endless party culture, remembering that sun, sea and sand can be lovely, you might find yourself asking “what’s next”? And as for “nothing” being out there in the more remote places, that is emphatically not the case. Far off the beaten track, whether afloat or ashore, there can be an abundance of wildlife, wild places and wonderful people.

We’re certainly not trying to avoid human company; far from it. We’ve always enjoyed meeting people and socialising, whether in new places with different cultures and challenges, or simply reuniting with good friends. However, we’re hoping to explore simpler places in a more basic, rustic manner that allow us the time and the peace and quiet to take them in. We both recognise the importance and value of solitude and wilderness. And that’s a large part of our reason for travelling in this way, to see the wonderful array of wild creatures that the world still possesses in as unobtrusive a manner as possible.

One thing about boat travel is that you become part of the ocean environment. As you’re seldom more than a metre or so above the water how could it be otherwise? And when you encounter marine life you are part of their world, and can meet nature on its own terms.

We were reminded of this last summer whilst sailing off the Sound of Harris in the western isles of Scotland. A beautiful sunny day, with light winds saw us drifting gently northwards when a sudden loud clamour caught our attention. A lesser black-backed gull was being attacked by an arctic skua, and flew straight at us as if trying to seek shelter in our rigging. To anyone who doesn’t know about birds, skuas are kleptoparasites, that chase and harry other birds (often far bigger than themselves) to make them disgorge their food, to be picked up at leisure by the skua.

Lou and I scarcely said a word as this aerial battle raged around us, captivated by the relentless dives and assaults of the smaller bird, and the vain and undignified attempts of the bellowing gull to evade its fate. Eventually, despite putting up a staunch fight, the gull threw the towel in and surrendered its gorge full of food to the sea and the triumphant skua. Witnessing and, by our very presence, participating in this fascinating but routine event of the predator-prey world, left us both mesmerised and re-enchanted with the experience of moving through these less-disturbed places.

And it’s the remarkable moments such as this that remind us why we choose to go cruising, our chance to inhabit the wild world of the oceans and their shores. At such times all of the stress-inducing planning, preparation and cost become worthwhile, and the whole project makes sense. And whilst it’s difficult for us to express the essence of this to some friends and family who don’t share our enthusiasm for the sea, we hope this attempt to explain it will go some way towards justifying our choice of destinations.

Our Scottish Natural Heritage report on basking sharks now published

2010-01-08T12:50:00.012Z

Scottish Natural Heritage held a launch for the Basking Shark Report on the 7^th of January 2010, and it has achieved considerable coverage in the press, radio and TV (see BBC news article here).

The message in the report is a positive one – we found that there were two key “hotspot” sites in the Western Isles of Scotland during our five-year research programme in the area, where you were more likely to see sharks at the surface: at Coll & Tiree and Canna & Hyskeir. It was known that such sites had existed in the past, but there was concern that after decades of over-exploitation in the last century this might no longer be the case.

So to find the sharks safe and well and in considerable numbers was a major plus, and a relief. To safeguard the sharks whilst encouraging safe shark watching, a public awareness campaign will soon be underway. This will consist of posters and leaflets for use on board boats that visit the areas, and these will be circulated to watersports clubs and societies throughout Scotland in the spring.

This is the culmination of many years of hard work for all of us that worked on the Wildlife Trusts’ Basking Shark Project. Not just the guys that acted as mate on “Forever Changes” over the years, or the Wildlife Trusts’ and Earthwatch staff that backed us up, but also the hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life who took part over the nine years that the Project ran for. Three reports to Government Agencies have now been delivered as result of that work (England, Northern Ireland and Scotland), a track record that we can all be very proud of.

Links to all three reports can be found on our Papers and Articles page.

A quick update on our whereabouts

2009-12-10T21:44:00.039Z

We’ve allowed this weblog to get a little out of date – why does that always happen to people who start off with such good intentions of keeping their ‘news’ up to date?

Our last blog post was entitled ‘Getting Ready To Go’, and admittedly this was many months ago - but it truly feels like this was written several years ago! We’ve come so far this year, not necessarily geographically (on an ocean scale), but in being able to test the boat, revisit favourite anchorages, see old friends, undertake several night passages, having some fantastic sailing, and getting some work done all at the same time!

Some challenging weather derailed our passage north around the west of Ireland – we enjoyed some exhilarating sailing around the SW of Ireland and got as far as Bantry Bay (via the famous Fastnet lighthouse). But were then faced with a forecast of weeks of northerly winds (not good when trying to go north, especially around the wild waters of west Ireland). So Colin, with the help of our good friend Mick Roberts, headed to Scotland via the usual route – up the Irish Sea (whilst Lou escaped to meetings in Paris).

We spent two wonderful months sailing in the Sea of the Hebrides and the Small Isles, undertaking basking shark project work and filming for Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Shark Foundation. Plus several trips out to the Outer Hebrides rejuvenated us both immediately, especially when family and friends came to share the experience. Basking sharks were never off the itinerary, as we visited many of the sites known historically as profitable areas for the old shark hunters, and also searched out areas with the potential for future shark surveys.

The SNH Basking Shark research report (link) is now finished, and available from their website (any comments or feedback welcome). This presents the results from all basking shark surveys undertaken in Scottish waters from 2002-2006, and recommends appropriate conservation measures for the protection of the species in and around the shark hotspots identified through this work. Alongside the conservation research projects, our consultancy work has kept us busy too. The training DVD for Wildlife Conservation Society (Uganda) nears completion, and other work has started on topics as diverse as biodiversity offsets assurance, wildlife/boat interactions, and impacts from marine renewables. Meetings, conferences and workshops have meant time off the boat, with one or both of us travelling to Donegal, Switzerland, Majorca, the Isle of Man, Paris and Kenya. The world of consultancy is such an interesting arena, especially when run from a sailing boat office …

Sensing the short Scottish summer was waning, we faced a difficult sail south with weeks and weeks of southerly winds forecast i.e. wind coming from exactly where we needed to go, so not great. En-route from Scotland to Northern Ireland, our autopilot decided to stop working completely (it had been erratic ever since it was installed). When sailing round the clock with only two people on board, the lack of an autopilot can be a real problem as it can mean hand-steering all the way. Luckily, the wind strength (when it finally backed round to the east), was a consistent force 4/5, so the wind pilot stood in as our third crew member instead. After several storm-bound stop/starts, and some hair-raising anchorages, we slowly progressed our passage of day and night sailing across the Irish and Celtic Seas.

The summer once again had provided us with many shark sightings, although we'd only spotted two minke whales all summer (just off SW Skye), and no cetaceans at all around SW Ireland, usually considered an area with guaranteed whales. But common dolphins made their presence felt on our south-bound passage - literally hundreds of them, just as the sun was rising over Pembrokeshire, SW Wales... It certainly lifted our spirits for the final 24hrs sail across the Celtic Sea and around the Lands End peninsula.

Fixing the autopilot was a priority, so we aimed for our last UK stopover, and stopped in Falmouth, Cornwall for a few weeks. This allowed us a chance to meet up with friends, complete a few work projects and fix the autopilot, as our next intended passage continued south across the English Channel, and we had no intentions of returning to the UK in the foreseeable future.

Much more to tell about the joys & trials of the summer/autumn months, but suffice for the moment to say we’re safely washed up at our winter berth in Brittany, NW France. We intend to spend a few months here hidden from the worst of the Biscay storms. Lots of planning to do for the sail further south next spring, along with lots of consultancy work coming in to keep us busy during the cold winter months… Time is certainly a valuable commodity, and with Christmas and New Year approaching, it’s time to resolve to keep the blog up to date more often!

Getting ready to go

2009-06-06T16:01:00.005+01:00

The French have a lovely word for it – “peaufiner” – to refine, polish or put the finishing touches to something. And it has been such a pleasure to be able to carry this out on our boat at a leisurely pace, having time to do things properly. To me, this a new phenomenon…

Because it isn’t always like that – working a boat is an exercise in constant maintenance. With our old boat we would finish the season at the end of September after six months of non-stop work, crane her out of the water, winterise everything, and then walk away without a backward glance for at least three months. During which time if anyone even mentioned boats there would be trouble….

Come the spring and the poor old girl would slowly come to mind, with reluctance at first, then with a growing sense of responsibility and urgency. The work plan would kick in, parts and services ordered, and a work blitz would be underway. Around Easter we’d begin to think that going out on the water again might be OK, and just before the launch date we’d be eagerly looking forward to the new season. And the whole mad cycle would begin once again.

With our new boat, we knew that there would be many items to finish off, but, of course, thought that this would take no time at all. How can you be so dumb? We’re just about there now, one year on, but in a funny kind of way it has been worth it, despite the delays.

Last year was a struggle in any case, even working flat out to be ready for our first season, and, with hindsight, we set ourselves a far too ambitious set of goals. A couple of broken ribs on my part, getting married, an avalanche of work for Lou, and renting out our house, all contributed to delaying our put paid plans temporarily, and things slipped, and slipped.

Overwintering in France gave us the opportunity to mentally “leave” the places we’d previously called home – we were off, although not far away. It also allowed me plenty of time to really get to grips with all of the little jobs that needed doing, and to complete the installation of newer items. And for once it was a pleasure – no crazy deadlines, no last minute madness chasing suppliers, and very few things (!) forgotten. For the first time in living memory the list of jobs has got shorter. I keep thinking, surely, I must have forgotten something…

Back in Falmouth we have been able to get the last few jobs completed, with many thanks to the excellent support network of skilled and dependable craftsmen that have supported us for so many years. And I’ve finished off the last of the jobs on the list today, and all that is left to do is to clean the boat from stem to stern, and we’re about ready to go.

It has been such a pleasure to work at a human pace once more. All the years of manic activity, readying the boat for the season have been put into perspective. There’s no question that the enforced delay to our departure has been a benefit, in that I’ve actually enjoyed getting the boat ready for once (although Lou would rightly state that I hadn’t appreciated certain times when I couldn’t get certain spare parts, or installed items appeared to be hardly “installed” at all… more in the next blog). It is also the case that being able to take the time and do the jobs properly means that the work has (perhaps) been carried out more thoroughly and with far greater attention to detail than might otherwise have been the case. And, finally, it has enabled me to get to know the boat inside out, vital if you are planning long distance sailing to out of the way places. It has certainly helped build our confidence in her and in ourselves aboard her.

There is also another side to this, the human side. Many years ago, my friends Jeff and Jose Allen were about to set off on a round the world trip aboard their trimaran, “Dink’s Song”. Jeff having built her with his own hands and then sailed her for the equivalent of some three circumnavigations knew more than a thing or two, and I was, as so often before, picking his brains. Why was it that so many people set off on the big trip and then gave up the life in no time at all? Jeff said that in his view, many people pushed too hard to start with and simply didn’t allow themselves time to decompress down to “life in the slow lane”. If they could make it through the first year after a lifetime of deadlines and also the last minute complexities and hassles of the departure, then he reckoned they’d make it. And then after a year or two “you could warm your hands on them”- what a lovely description.

So, our 2008 false start might well prove to be a good thing in more ways than one. We’ve been able to put the finishing touches to Pelerin properly, and, to some degree, slow down and fine-tune ourselves. Without that break I might never have regained my enthusiasm for sailing in the way that I have now, and Lou and I have had time to settle into the life aboard, to the extent that we both can’t imagine living ashore again for the foreseeable future. For instance, Lou is convinced that “land” is highly over-rated. In a few days time we’ll leave Falmouth once more, setting off north for Scotland; we’re ready, Pelerin is ready, and all three of us just can’t wait to get going!

Spring 2009 update

2009-04-15T10:50:00.020+01:00

We’ve overwintered with the boat in NW France, and have successfully used her as our ‘mobile office’. We’ve also been travelling a great deal, both work and pleasure, so it’s been a while since our last update, but it certainly hasn’t been time wasted.

In February there were four WiSe courses run in Scotland, from Stornoway to Lerwick, in conjunction with our partners Wild Scotland, and with financial support from Scottish Natural Heritage . These courses were unique as they were the first to be delivered entirely by our new generation of instructors, and they were well attended and received - so congratulations and thanks to David Ainsley, Richard Fairbairns and Myles Farnbank for their hard work. Other courses are currently being planned, and we shall be running a WiSe master class this year for operators who are interested in incorporating soft science elements to their cruises, such as photo-identification and data recording – this has been made possible by the support of the Born Free Foundation, who have backed us since 2001.

In March, Lou was invited to present a paper at the East African Petroleum Conference in Mombasa, Kenya. This was entitled ‘Challenges and Benefits of Effective Environmental Assessment of Impacts’. Building on her experiences working in Uganda over the last four years, it was an opportunity to engage with a regional audience of government officials and oil companies. As this was a Petroleum Conference, environmental issues were unfortunately compressed into one single session, but Lou’s session was very well attended and question time ran well into break time! Published conference proceedings will follow, and we’ll link from our site. Follow-up work looks interesting, and Lou is continuing new dialogue with contacts in Tanzania and Norway.

Whilst in Kenya, we both did some charity strategic development work with Carol and Peter Hardman on behalf of the Vipingo Village Fund. The Fund is seeking to construct and maintain a new nursery school for AIDS infected and affected children, and the Hardmans are working incredibly hard to create quality educational opportunities and raise awareness of the plight of these AIDS orphans. They are building their website (with frustratingly slow web-developers) but we'll link to it when its ready.

Colin has recently finished the new research report for Scottish Natural Heritage “Basking Shark Hotspots on the West Coast of Scotland”, co-authored by Lou who did most of the number crunching and editing, and Dr Matt Witt of Exeter University who did an excellent job of the GIS mapping and graphic analysis. Now completed, submitted and accepted, this report will be accompanied by a Trend Note and awareness raising poster maps of the hotspot areas identified during our work with the Wildlife Trusts’ Basking Shark Project between 2002/2006. We’ll provide a link from our site when it’s published – watch this space. A summary of last year’s Natural England Research Report is also available as a download.

Sharks are on our minds at the moment, as the summer approaches (as you can see from our photo, trialling our new cruising chute). We have decided that we definitely want to have at least a couple of months in the Hebrides before we go anywhere else, so sailing north will be happening very soon. Whilst in Scottish waters, we’ll be undertaking a scoping study, looking at the potential for any additional basking shark hotspot locations with help from our long-term supporters at the Shark Foundation. If successful, this could pave the way for future research at sites too remote to visit during our previous surveys. Our return to the Sea of the Hebrides is not just for scientific and sentimental reasons, but also to undertake background research on a book Colin has been building (basking sharks, of course!). We’re also both very much looking forward to replenishing our photo library after far too long ashore.

Lou has initiated the development of a DVD based training programme on behalf of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Uganda. This will be a tool allowing professionals involved in the Environmental Impact Assessment process to gain an understanding of the environmental issues and appropriate mitigation actions associated with oil development. Oil companies in Uganda have continued to score a 100% success rate in their exploration drilling, and the government is very keen to start production as soon as feasibly possible. Therefore, building the capacity of the government agencies, NGO’s and EIA practitioners further is increasingly urgent to minimise the potential for major impacts in such a biodiversity-rich area of Africa.

Whilst in Scotland, Colin will for the second year give a wildlife briefing to the skippers participating in the hugely popular Classic Malts Cruise, a sailing cruise in the Western Isles taking in the distilleries at Oban, Lagavulin and Talisker. Like last year, we'll provided a copy of our “WiSe way to Watch Wildlife” DVD (available on You Tube) to every one of the participating boats, with the addition that each boat will receive an ID sheet and sightings recording form from our friends at the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, to form a simple survey of what the crews encounter during this years event. The organisers of the event, World Cruising Ltd have very generously supported this with a prize draw for all reports received at the end of the event, which should ensure that all forms get filled out and handed in!

In August we’ll both be attending an International Basking Shark Conference on the Isle of Man, where we shall present a paper on the outcomes from the shark survey work in Scotland. This promises to be a really exciting event, with a wide variety of speakers from around the world taking part.

Finally, Colin has been asked to be a judge for a sailing and environment photo competition run by The Green Blue. Entitled “The Good, the Bad and the Funny” it is hoped that this will encourage more and more sailors to support the initiatives of The Green Blue. There are some great prizes (including a Canon camera), and the prize-winners will see their images published in the RYA magazine. Entries are already coming in, and the season hasn’t even started yet, so why not download your entry form at The Green Blue site and start taking pictures?

Living on the water at last

2009-01-13T13:09:00.007Z

So, we’re off.

Well, really we departed several months ago, but have only now stopped for long enough to think about News.
We’re living on the boat in Brittany, having sailed her across the English Channel in August. A happy month was spent pottering through the Channel Islands and along the northern Brittany coastline. The coastline and villages of Finistere are amazing. We had to leave Pèlerin in Camaret in Sept, as we both had to make travel trips elsewhere for work, but returned mid December so a cold and crispy Christmas and New Year was very much enjoyed in quiet, yet very welcoming, Camaret-sur-Mer. We have moved from our original spot in the Port Vauban as there was an issue with pontoons only been fixed by rusty chains, and the electricity supply was as sporadic as that in Uganda! We’ve found a much more comfortable spot nearer to the town, in Port du Notic – its now only a few hundred metres to the boulangerie/patisserie… “quelle dommage” as the skipper would say.

An interesting weekend was spent in London at the Royal Geographical Society, attending the WildPhotos annual workshop – all manner of inspiration for both budding and professional photographers. Although not having picked up our cameras seriously for months, we’re both now eager to find time to spend experimenting with our new equipment. The end of the financial tax year, however, has restricted slightly some of that free time.

Lou spent November and December 08 working very intensively with Wildlife Conservation Society in Uganda, teaching and facilitating a variety of different courses and workshops. She ran a weeks class and field based course on Environmental Impacts and Oil Development for local government and wildlife agency staff in Hoima. Whilst there, we had the chance to visit the Buffalo well being drilled in Murchison Falls National Park - a very interesting experience... This was followed by a two-day course on oil operations and the environment for EIA Practitioners in Kampala, and facilitation of a workshop to initiate multi-stakeholder dialogue on the development of a Strategic Environmental Assessment for oil development in Uganda. The following week, an NGO capacity building workshop was held to highlight key aspects of oil-related EIA and stakeholder consultation. An exhausting series of weeks, but very worthwhile - it's always a pleasure to work with such a wide variety of people with valid interests in minimising environmental and social impacts.

The London Boat Show calls again this month – was it really a year since Pèlerin was exhibited there herself?! So we return to London this week, to do a bit of extra research, meet up with some old friends and pick up some items we think might work well on Pèlerin. We’ll be passing by The Green Blue stand (B2) on the 15th, to meet with Sarah Black and her team, if anyone is interested in catching up.

Meanwhile we’re weighing up our sailing intentions for the summer – the plan is still definitely to be heading south (Biscay, Portugal, Morocco, Senegal, etc) later in the year, but the dilemma is whether to fit in a quick trip north before that, to revisit some of our most favourite haunts in the west of Scotland. Anyone who knows us, knows the Hebrides is special for both of us – especially as we have a special wedding to attend in Tighnabruaich (Argyll) in June, but then we also have another special wedding to attend in the Perigord (mid-west France) in May – we’re torn where to take Pèlerin (N.B. Another special wedding in Colombia in Feb also requires travel, but we’re definitely not taking Pèlerin there - not just yet).

It will be a disappointment if we can’t fit in sail to Scotland this summer, but the last thing we need is to put lots of sailing-itinerary pressure on ourselves – this is our new world order, after all! We met some very interesting sailing people over New Year, many of whom have/are currently/are planning to explore the waters off West Africa. Definitely all very good food for thought… and absolutely bulging with calories!

More next month.

July 2008

2008-07-15T15:56:00.013+01:00

We’ve had a busy few months, working on a variety of interesting projects, fitting in a wedding, and preparing for our sailing departure from Falmouth...

Lou's been following up on her work over the last few years in Uganda with the Wildlife Conservation Society, with further trips to Kampala and the oil-rich ( & biodiversity-rich) region of Hoima in the Albertine Rift. In addition, she's been working with WWF Norway, building a baseline assessment of Uganda and Madagascar on how environmental impacts are being managed and how civil society is engaged in the oil and mining developments found in both countries.
In the UK, Lou's been working with The Green Blue to further develop project and partnership opportunities in the marine sector. The Green Blue is doing a great job of engaging both the general public and the commercial marine sector in environmental issues, most of which can be tackled with just a slight shift in attitude and a bit of willpower...

Colin’s work on the WiSe Scheme continues, with positive discussions on its further development in the south-west, Northern Ireland and Scotland. In addition he’s been facilitating stakeholder input to a Marine Advisory Chart for use at Whiteness in the Moray Firth, and putting in the ground work for the final write-up of the Basking Shark survey work of the last 8 summers. Having less time at sea than in previous summers, he’s getting more time to write: one recent article was published in the BBC Wildlife magazine (July 08) on basking sharks in the UK; plus additions to his series of articles on the Morgans Cloud website, Attainable Adventure Cruising.

Regarding the new boat and our plans to depart, Colin has made a whole heap of adjustments and additions to the rigging and equipment on Pèlerin to prepare her for what's to come (Lou: I've been doing the curtains, and contemplating cushion designs - not!). Some boat construction quirks needed sorting out, with one too many lift outs required to right the wrongs – these things happen with new boats I’m told, but very frustrating nonetheless! Preparing a new boat for sea is a learning process, but now we’re all sorted.

She’s a better boat for it all, and we’re very much looking forward to putting her through her paces with our imminent passage from Cornwall to Scotland.

We've grabbed a few weekend sails now and then (blasting across Falmouth Bay in 30 knot winds eliminated ALL cobwebs), but with a combination of looming work deadlines, challenging weather and other commitments, our planned departure for early July has slipped a little. However we hope to set sail before too long, to regain our photographic and filming skills, and find ourselves some serious winds and testing conditions.

We’ve moved out of our office at Falmouth Marine School, as our floating home/office will be aboard Pèlerin. But it’s what you might call a “transition period” at the moment - we’re living/working wherever we can, and certainly able to test out the mobile office concept! We’re both desperate to start the next tranche of our adventure, so hopefully our next post will be from the sea looking landwards, instead of the other way round!

2008-07-05T17:36:00.003+01:00

OK, this is getting out of date, and neither of us meant that to happen.
Apologies if you'd been paying attention and then got bored - but you're here now, so we promise to get a new entry put up within a week - promise.
All work and no play has made us very dull, but this is all about to change...
Lou

February 2008 news update

2008-02-14T16:54:00.014Z

Between us we survived Christmas, New Year, Uganda, the London Boat Show and tax return time... each of those events separately capable of knocking any sane person sideways.

Christmas and New Year involved far too much working on Lou's part, as she was preparing for her forthcoming assignment in Uganda. In conjunction with the Wildlife Conservation Society, financed by USAID, she provided training on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) specifically related to minimizing impacts from oil development. Lou enrolled the help of EIA trainer Karl Fuller of Sherwood SEA, to assist in developing and delivering the course materials. Two days in the classroom were followed up with a 3-day trip to visit several exploration sites on the shores of Lake Albert, in the Albertine Rift area of mid-western Uganda. Attending the course were representatives from Uganda's statutory agencies involved in energy-related EIA approval e.g. from Uganda Wildlife Authority, National Environmental Management Authority, the Forestry Authority, the Wetlands Management Division, and the Fisheries Authority. There were also representatives from the Petroleum Exploration and Production Department, WWF-Uganda and WCS. These are key organisations to target for capacity building, as several oil-related EIA's have managed to get approval although they were far below best international standards.

As the Albertine Rift is the most vertebrate species-rich eco-region in the whole of Africa, with the most endemic species than any other African region, a proper understanding of exploration operations and impacts (and effective use of the EIA process) is fundamental as Uganda drives forward with its oil exploitation programme. The juxta-position of internationally important species and protected habitats with hydrocarbon reserves is one that needs extremely careful management. Louise will be returning to help establish WCS’s Reducing Oil Development Impacts programme in the near future.

Meanwhile, closer to home at the London Boat Show, our new boat Pèlerin was proudly on show on North Sea Maritime's stand. Colin was there for the whole duration (gold star!) to help NSM deal with specific queries on OVNI's in general (& Pèlerin in particular); Lou arrived mid-show on her return from Uganda. Pèlerin attracted a lot of positive attention, with many people intrigued by her shiny aluminium hull and by her 'beached' posture (she was resting on the floor with her keel and rudder up, as if she were gracefully lounging on a Caribbean beach). As people approached, they invariably knocked on the hull, fascinated by the feel of a non-GRP boat. This gave us ample opportunity to talk to people about our reasons for choosing such a boat, and our exploration intentions with Wave Action.

Whilst at the Show, Colin gave a presentation on the WiSe Scheme for the benefit of Show attendees. Keen support from the Green Blue meant this was well attended, with great interest from sailors and their families keen to minimize disturbance on wildlife from their encounters. It was fantastic that so many friends and family came to visit us at the Show, eager to view our new floating home, and better understand what has been keeping us busy for the last 18 months!

Eventually we both returned to Falmouth, and Pèlerin was road-transported to Plymouth to be launched, on what turned out to be Burns Night (very fitting!). Due to some slight teething troubles, and gales from the south-west, we kept her in the marina until the weather turned for the better. Her inaugural sail was saved for a beautiful Feb weekend, where we sailed her to Falmouth via a stop over in Fowey. What a trip!

She now sits in Mylor, as we fit her out with the various pieces of equipment and electronics we consider essential for our forthcoming expedition.

With the arrival of Spring comes the annual marathon of co-ordinating and preparing for WiSe courses across the country. Following additional courses in Cornwall, Colin and the “WiSe roadshow” leave Falmouth late February, to deliver training in east & west Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey (a new location for the WiSe scheme) and the Isle of Man, with the potential for an additional course in Devon. An important part of this programme is the training of the next generation of WiSe Instructors, resulting in each region having permanent WiSe-trained resources to ensure the healthy future of WiSe around the country. Another recent feature of WiSe training has been the demand to target individuals interested in becoming guides on existing marine eco-tourism ventures, and the WiSe website now lists several people who've undertaken WiSe training who are eager to assist with onboard species information and identification.

More next month…

December news update

2007-12-29T16:25:00.001Z

Photo: Our new boat "Pelerin" nears completion

The “quiet time” spanning Christmas and New Year are supposed to be days of enjoyment and relaxation, allowing work-weary souls to spend quality time with friends and family. However, time in the Wave Action camp has been industrious to the last, as ongoing projects are wrapped up and new work planned. It’s at times like these that you question the wisdom of working independently, as you realise there is no one there to provide back-up!

Colin has been finishing off our new WiSe DVD aimed at the boat owning public, which is due to be launched in the spring of 2008. In addition, I have been finalising the details of the WiSe courses for February and March of next year. So far we have six lined up, with others waiting in the wings – see a list at www.wisescheme.org – and we have our first course in Jersey to look forward to, as well as others in established regions.

WiSe has so far proved to be popular and successful, with nearly 500 individuals through courses to date. Having achieved this critical mass, we are now entering the next phase of development, through which we hope to launch the project to a new level. Up until now, most of the courses have been run by myself and old friend and seal expert Stephen Westcott, although we have successfully involved other experts from around the regions on occasion. However, we have always been aware of the great depth of available talent out in the regions, who would be capable of delivering courses, and that it would greatly benefit WiSe and its aims to recruit some of them as instructors. We see this as important not only because of their wide familiarity with marine wildlife, but also through their intimate knowledge of local issues and conditions and their peers. So, this spring will see the first WiSe instructors courses around the regions, with the intention that by the autumn most future courses will be locally organised and run. So far, all of those invited to become instructors have responded enthusiastically, and we know that we have a very talented team waiting in the wings for their chance to lead WiSe into the future.

Louise departs for Uganda again in early January for ten days to run a training workshop on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on behalf of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. This is a direct follow on from her previous visit in Nov 2006, reviewing the effectiveness and quality of approved EIAs prepared by the emerging oil industry. Uganda does have EIA regulations in place, but as the oil industry in the country is so young, many of the statutory agency and conservation protection staff are yet to build up a solid background in the potential impacts associated with hydrocarbon exploitation, and the appropriateness of mitigation actions proposed. Effective monitoring, consultation and management of impacts requires a step-change in approach. The EIA training will consist of two days in the classroom, followed by three days in the field visiting a few operational exploratory sites on the shores of Lake Albert. Louise has engaged the assistance of Karl Fuller of Sherwood SEA in developing and delivery of the training course (Karl, ex-IEMA, developed the 2002 update to the widely-used UNEP EIA Training materials).

In the meantime, Lou’s work with WWF is focussing on Strategic Environmental Assessment as part of the UK Governments offshore oil & gas licensing scheme. The Appropriate Assessments on potential licensing in the Cardigan Bay and Moray Firth SACs might allow inappropriate development in areas designated for the protection of bottlenose dolphin populations. The challenge of trying to withhold certain special marine areas so they can achieve their protection management objectives continues…

Lou was also recently profiled in the international BP magazine, in an article focussing on ex-employees who have made the jump to the conservation world, and ex-NGO staff now working within BP. In addition to Lou, the article also features Greg Bourne, ex-senior Environmental Advisor to the BP board, who now is Chief Executive Officer at WWF Australia. The article “Rebels with a cause” is available here.

We shall both then meet up at the London International Boat Show in London’s Docklands area, running between the 11th-20th of January. Our new boat “Pèlerin” will be on display on the North Sea Maritime (www.northseamaritime.com) stand N021E, and one of us should be there for most of the time – if you are planning to attend the Show, please come and say hello, and make the acquaintance of our new aluminium ocean-going home. For those of you interested in our wildlife work, I shall be making a 20 minute presentation on marine wildlife and boats at 1630 on the 11th. This will be on the Main Stage, and is part of a rolling series of “Master-classes” throughout the show, and it’s good that marine life is getting a look-in.

Happy New Year!

Colin and Lou.

2007-11-20T17:54:00.000Z