Whale and Dolphin Watching

Dolphin watching off Baltimore

Dolphin watching in Baltimore, West Cork                                                               The short-beaked Common dolphin is resident and can be seen off the Irish coastline for most of the year, although there is a noticeable increase in sightings around the Baltimore area are from mid June to late July when the mackeral come inshore. As the name suggests they are the most commonly sighted dolphin off the Irish coastline, They are often found in large, active schools and readily approach boats to bow and wake ride beside them.

Bottlenose Dolphins in Baltimore, West Cork.                                        Sightings of the larger Bottlenose dolphin are not uncommon here in summertime, as they can be seen feeding and travelling through the local bays and harbours. In April 2014 a bottlenose dolphin named ‘Clett’ travelled to this area from the south coast of England and made the waters around Baltimore and Roaringwater Bay its home for several months. ‘Clett’ thrilled all who came across him with his extremely energetic swimming and often giving spectacular acrobatic leaping displays. In September ‘Clett’ toured up the west coast of Ireland to Scotland before returning down the Irish sea to its home patch on the South of England.

Rissos Dolphin in West Cork, Ireland.                                                         Rissos dolphin are seen off the West Cork coastline, but sightings are less common than that of the other dolphins. Usually they are seen close in to shore as individuals or in small family groups. They have a distinctive  bulbous head, their body colour is usually light grey to white, with body scratches and scarring that are the result of interactions between individuals.

Seal watching off Baltimore

Seal watching in West Cork We visit seal colonies during all of our boat trips. In Ireland we have only two types of seals, the Atlantic Grey Seal and Common/Harbour seal and both can be seen on the shores and the islands in our area of operation around Baltimore, Roaringwater Bay and the Ilen River. The Common seals arent common and the grey seals are not all grey, but all Grey and Common seal populations are protected under the wildlife act. Because this area is an SAC Baltimore Sea Safari is the only operator in this area to be granted a Notifiable Action Permit by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to carry out seal watching.

in the areaWildlife watching off Baltimore

While on our Baltimore Sea Safari trips also keep a lookout for ‘Mola Mola’ Ocean Sunfish which are the worlds largest bony fish and Leatherback Turtles, both of which can often be seen drifting along in the summer sun.
The West Cork coastline also has thriving populations of common seabirds, and recieves regular visits from some less familiar species. These include the Sooty Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Corys Shearwater, Wilson’s Petrel and Skua’s. Late summer is the best time of year for birdwatching. Puffins are a regular sighting in early summer as they drift along on the surface of the sea. We see Curlews, Grey Heron and Little Egret within the estuary of the Ilen River. 

Rare birds are not uncommon in the area, such as an Ivory Gull from arctic Russia, which followed a local trawler from 60 miles offshore into Baltimore Harbour and stayed in the area for a week.