MUCH-LOVED killer whales John Coe and Aquarius have been spotted back in the Hebrides after a long trip to the coast of Cornwall.
The pair were spotted earlier this month near Porthgwarra by Will McEnery-Cartwright from Porthcurno, who described the sighting as a “once in a lifetime event”.
That was on May 5 – nine days later there were seen 550 miles north of that spot by Anthony Rigell from Waternish Point on Skye.
And earlier this week, on May 17, the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s research vessel Silurian spotted the two whales off Lochboisdale, South Uist.
Photograph: Will McEnery-Cartwright
According to the Sea Watch Foundation, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, McEnery-Cartwright’s pictures confirm this is John Coe and Aquarius’s first sighting off England, and the most southerly point they have been recorded at by the charities.
McEnery-Cartwright commented: “This is a once in a lifetime event. I am so happy and proud to be part of this historical moment. To see these fantastic creatures is one thing, but to photograph them is just breathtaking!”
The pair of whales are usually spotted around the west coasts of Scotland and Wales, and around Ireland. John Coe has occasionally been seen off the north-east coast of Scotland.
The last confirmed sighting of the pair was reported off Skye in October 2020 – prior to that, John Coe was spotted off the coast of Co. Donegal in August.
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Due to there being fewer people at sea during lockdown, the charities have recorded a smaller number of sightings than usual.
Dr Lauren-Hartny-Mills, science and conservation manager at the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, who monitors sightings of the group in Scottish waters, said: “We are all absolutely thrilled that John Coe and Aquarius have been seen again! Will’s recent sighting off Cornwall really highlights how crucial public sightings data are in helping us monitor the movements of individual animal’s year after year.
“It shows how much we still have to learn about their movements, and it is fascinating to be able to add another important piece to the puzzle.”
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