I had no experience of whale and dolphin watching, so I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived at the DFDS ferry terminal in Newcastle for my first ORCA survey. Luckily, the ORCA team leaders were very friendly and helpful, and I was soon making friends with the other volunteers who’d come from all over the country to take part. After boarding, we quickly settled into our cabins and then headed for the introductory talk. We were all itching to get surveying, and it wasn’t long before I was up on the bridge, scanning the waves as we left port.

I was absolutely captivated by the view - the sea stretched in all directions, sparkling in the early evening sun. Tracy, my team leader, showed me how to record the sightings data, and it wasn’t long before my skills were put to the test, as not one, not two, but three Minke Whales were spotted around the ship. As I hurried to write everything down in the excitement, I didn’t manage to see any of them, but did spot a grey seal, looking up at us from the waves. As a birder, it was also a fantastic way to see some impressive seabirds, including Shearwaters and Skuas.

As we wrapped up the day, at around 10pm, we headed to the bar to swap our experiences before retiring to our cabins. Over the next few days we saw minke whales and harbour porpoises as well as dolphins, seals, seabirds and even otters!

The whole weekend was a fantastic experience, from exploring Bergen to travelling through the fjords as the sun set over the Norwegian mountains, scanning the waves for dolphins. I couldn’t believe I'd never thought about doing something like this before! I can't wait for my next survey trip with ORCA.

Dan Gordon