4 Feb 25 - ORCA Saga Eastern Med Cruise Day 16 - Back At Sea In The Eastern Med

We had enjoyed five consecutive days ashore, on the Saga Eastern Mediterranean Cruise, with two landings in Cyprus, followed by landings in Turkey, Rhodes and Crete. However, the ORCA team were onboard to survey for Cetaceans. Consequently, we were looking forward to a day at sea when we could enjoy some surveying.

We had a pre-dawn breakfast and were still on deck, just before eight, for the sunrise

The ORCA sightings board was exciting, but frustrating. A passenger had seen a Seal swimming around in the Crete's Heraklion harbour on the previous afternoon. Unfortunately, we didn't hear about it, until we were sailing away from Heraklion. The only Seal that occurs regularly this far into the Mediterranean is Mediterranean Monk Seal. With a population of only six to seven hundred individuals and only three hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty mature adults, this is one of the rarest Seals in the world. Their main range is limited to the Eastern Mediterranean and the coast of Mauritania, with a small population on Madeira's Desertas islands. The latest IUCN assessment was reassessed in June 23 to Vulnerable (from Endangered), as the population is slowly increasing.

Mediterranean Monk Seal: This was the sighting of the cruise and sadly none of the ORCA team saw it to confirm the identification beyond doubt. There is always a small chance of a vagrant Grey Seal or Common Seal: albeit either species would be a good record for the Straits of Gibraltar, let alone the Eastern Mediterranean

We had enjoyed good weather throughout our time in the Mediterranean, despite it was still very early in the year. However, the weather was changing as we sailed West and we had a strong headwind on the starboard side throughout the day. There was even a short burst of rain during the morning.

The rain brought this double rainbow: We were all hoping for a Cetacean under the rainbow, but it didn't happen

Karen surveying and nattering with Andy, who was our most frequent visitor

Despite four and a half hours of surveying in the morning, I hadn't seen anything other than a lone Mediterranean Gull. Fortunately, mid-afternoon, I picked up a pod of Striped Dolphins on the starboard side. They weren't close, but it was good to see them.

Striped Dolphins: The lead individuals in the pod. Unlike Short-beaked Common Dolphins and Bottlenose Dolphins, Striped Dolphins generally don't approach ships to play in the bow-wave. These were no exception

Striped Dolphins: The main group in the pod

Striped Dolphin: This large youngster was tagging along behind the pod

Striped Dolphin: Two final individuals. They are the commonest Dolphin species in the Mediterranean, with an estimated half a million individuals. Their numbers are increasing, whereas the other Dolphin species in the Mediterranean, Short-beaked Common Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins and Risso's Dolphins are declining.

An atmospheric sunset is a good way to end a day of surveying

The end of the day's statistics were, we had covered around one hundred and seventy nautical miles during the eight and a half hours of surveying. In that time, we had recorded seventeen Striped Dolphins. It hadn't been a bad day, albeit the strong wind had made us all appreciate the warm clothing we had brought.