Killer Whale Family In Donegal Waters

Wednesday, August 3, 2005
BELFAST, IRELAND — A family of killer whales had to be steered away from the North West coastline amid fears they would sink a fishing boat or beach themselves on a Donegal shore.

Dramatic action was taken by shocked staff from the Loughs Agency at Kinnego Bay, Co Donegal, who spotted the whales during a routine patrol.

Sea captain Rowly Wysner today described how his crew had to prevent the four orcas becoming beached off the North West coast at the weekend.

In scenes not seen since Dopey Dick found his way up the River Foyle in 1977, Loughs Agency staff onboard the patrol vessel 'Lough Bradan' watched the family for 20 minutes until they had to direct them away from some small fishing boats on the coastline.

Mr Wysner said: "Orca whale visits to this area are pretty rare so it was very special to see them so close.

"There were two adults and two juveniles and it's very rare to see four of them together. They came up about a mile off the Inishowen Head.

"We followed them for about four and a half miles. They were going inshore about a half of mile from a boat with a commercial salmon fishing net.

"We managed to gradually push them back out a bit. It was a small open boat and if they had gone into the nets they may have taken the boat and all with it."

Mr Wysner said that earlier this summer the crews had cut free a 14-foot basking shark from fishing nets.

"In 10 years of patrolling these waters though, I have never seen an orca whale. There have been a few small minky whales last year off the coast of Portrush, but Orcas are extremely rare."

The family of killer whales were last seen heading off the Malin Head coast.

Back in 1977 Dopey Dick stayed in the Foyle for one week, attracting huge crowds to the city.

Source: The Belfast Telegraph