“My patience paid off” Waiting nearly 18 months for my road trip to Northumberland, this July was well worth the wait. Back in 2020 I had Made my itinerary for the Northumberland coast. One of them highlighted, at the very top of the list, a boat trip booked to hopefully see some dolphins. However due to social distancing the trip was unable to go ahead, so instead I did my own research and discovered Ivor Clark. This gentle man is currently studying these beautiful creatures and is encouraging the local public to carry out some citizen science. This includes regular surveys throughout the coast line and sharing photographs on his social media group to help ID cetaceans. So it was time for me to take a trip to Newbiggin's … Tuesday 20th July 2021: I headed to church point, one of the popular places in Newbiggins to see Dolphins, wow the view alone is just amazing, the sound of oystercatchers calling and the clear blue sea with abundance of boats. No wonder the Dolphins like it here. Scanning the Sea left to right hoping to catch a glimpse of some dolphin action. Unfortunately, nothing I waited till 9.30pm just another 30 minutes longer after sunset. But I wasn't giving up, my determination kicked in at 7am the following morning, and by 7.30am I was back at church point, joined with a group of people who were involved in the surveys. Sat making myself comfortable on the bench, I started checking the herizen thick fog was trying to clear, making the sea more visible. By 8.30am a dark patch was moving bristly in the water, quick to focus my binoculars “oh no I have lost it”! Another look behind the bright orange buoy and there it was. Breaching out of the water! Wow, two together I felt spoiled. These Dolphins weren't the poster I had on my wall as a child or a photograph, no these are the real thing. Glaring through 2ml of glass gripping my binoculars tightly with excitement. What a fantastic experience. When I was a child I would mither my parents to take me on boat trips to see the Dolphins at our local seaside Scarborough and after years of never seeing any I was beginning to think they were phantom. Now seeing these Wild Dolphins in so much detail I came to realise that they were bottlenose Dolphins. Filled with joy I wasn't in any rush to leave church, so I decided to stay a few more hours. Well I’m glad I did 4 harbour porpoises later and one Minke whale, “yes Minke whale” circling around the buoys, magnificent. However thanks to Orca’s ID course I booked onto through out lock- down, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate what I was looking at if it wasn't for the course. Orca is a fantastic organisation that teaches you Identification in fine detail and their hard work that keeps us seeing these mammals of the sea. After my experience I can honestly say the Northumberland coast is the place to be and has made my childhood dream come true! Thank you Harriet Day
