Fiona Hutton
Silurian volunteer

In 2005 my New Year’s resolution was to gain some practical experience in the conservation field and to do something adventurous in the process. I could have chosen any number of voluntary positions across the globe but a search of the internet led me to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust and I have since volunteered on four very different surveys aboard the good ship Silurian.

Why do I keep returning?
Well, not only have I gained some invaluable knowledge about cetacean surveys, but I have met some incredible people, sailed to the most amazing places and have seen some incredible sights. My first trip was an eye-opener. I had never been on a yacht and had never seen a whale or dolphin except on T.V, so I had no idea what to expect. I needn’t have worried though as the crew were fabulous, the copious amounts of food and tea was even better, the sunsets were glorious, the scenery stunning and although there weren’t many cetaceans around, I had the time of my life. I have since found a passion for the sea, have learned to sail and pursued a career in marine zoology.

The other three trips I’ve volunteered on have been equally as brilliant but completely different. The sightings seemed to increase with each trip and I have seen an amazing amount or wildlife. I can now spot and identify eight species of cetaceans, common and grey seals, basking shark, sun fish and over 15 species of sea birds, including my favourite, the fantastic fulmar.

I have been amazed at the diversity of people who volunteer on these trips. They come from all over the world, all walks of life and range from the young to the young at heart! I have met a few characters on-board who will be hard to forget and have been lucky enough to make new friends who I still keep in touch with.

I feel extremely privileged to be able to take part in these surveys and proud that I have helped with collecting data that will be important in understanding the lives of cetaceans and what must be done to help conserve them and their habitats in the future.

A few of my favourite moments:

• Common dolphins bow-riding with tiny babies
• Taransay
• Sunsets sinking into the Atlantic
• The fabulous fulmar
• Killer whales
• Sing-songs
• Spotting fins on the horizon
• Porpoise blows
• Swimming in the sea
• Rainbows
• Many bonny sails across the Minch

So for a whale of a time, take a holiday like mine!

Andrew Simpson
Education volunteer, April 2008

I arrived in Tobermory to clear blue skies and pitched my tent on the local campsite. All the accommodation in town had been fully booked due to the much renowned Tobermory music festival attracting visitors from far and wide….

I had been invited to join in with one of the Marine Mammal courses which started on Friday evening. After a very informative series of presentations about research techniques, we adjourned to the pub for an evening of culture (beer and music). The temperature dropped rapidly during the night and I was glad of the extra sleeping bag I’d packed. The next day was spent on the Silurian where I was able to help out a little with the volunteers. We had a good day but unfortunately weather conditions were not ideal for sightings, so after debriefing we went to the pub for more culture…

By Monday I was able to move into a flat I had rented at a very reasonable rate just around the corner from the HWDT shop. I met up with the Education team and spent the morning discussing our brief, interspersed with great coffees from the local bakery. The atmosphere in the office was wonderful and it felt good to be working as part of a team again (having taken early retirement from teaching a couple of years before). We decided to produce a series of activities on the ecology of the bottlenose dolphin, and the days passed quickly as the materials began to take shape. I was happy to have the superior IT skills provided by Gemma to give a very professional finish to the final product. My evenings were spent sampling the local fare with various members of the HWDT team who were so sociable and made me feel very much at home. By the end of the week I was sorry to leave; Tobermory quickly grows on you if you have an interest in wildlife and a beautiful environment. I arrived at the ferry to be greeted by an otter swimming around the pier and immediately started planning my next visit. I would thoroughly recommend the experience to anyone!