Last Sunday, we went on a boat trip in West Cork. We were hoping to come up close and personal with a large pod of fin whales, but, despite excellent weather on the day, they were nowhere to be seen. Photos of these magnificent creatures will have to wait for another day.
The trip was remarkably uneventful. Not only did we not see fin whales, but we also failed to spot any sunfish, dolphins or minke whales either. Even the skipper couldn’t hide his frustration on the day, as the previous few days had been marvellous for spotting marine creatures.
We did manage to see seals, but this time of the year they’re not likely to go too far as the females are heavily pregnant. And no, we didn’t see any newborn seal pups either, in case you’re asking.
The upside is that I managed to take some nice photos. The coastline around Castletownshend is gloriously photogenic, even if its marine inhabitants were in hiding.
The Stags
Seal Rocks
Passive Impressions 
Hope you get to see the whales next time. In Ardmore they have a board where whale watchers write the date of seeing and the species. I wonder if the appearances are random or seasonal.
I think they are seasonal. Apparently the fin whales are resident around West Cork for most of the year. Humpback whales tend to visit in the winter.
Lovely! We recently went on a trip in Madeira (near where Moby Dick was filmed) but no sign of a leviathan! I enjoy catching up with your posts. Regards Thom.
Thanks a lot! I think the whales have disappeared from the Southern Irish coast right now. Hopefully they will return soon.