The Farne Islands are home to the grey seal (also known as the Atlantic Grey Seal), with between 3000 and 4000 of this rare species on and around the islands. Between April and October, you can land on the islands themselves (May-July only for Staple Island, just in time for peak puffin season). Using a rotation of three or four colours we can work out how many pups are born, how many die, and how many ‘disappear’ before they would be able to survive. This was the first clue that seals moved across the North Sea and such large distances. Visit Farne Islands to see thousands of seabirds and a huge Grey seal colony. Seals: Grey seals can be seen by boat. Copyright 2020 All Right Reserved for original content. Pufflings are still hatching, and some of the older ones will be heading towards the sea. As well as being the most famous Sea Bird Sanctuary in the British Isles they also have a large colony of Atlantic / Grey Seals. As the tide rises and forces the seals off the sand, they’ll swim around. If you’re lucky you might even spot a whale or some dolphins. After 18 days of drinking their mother’s milk, the pups have quadrupled in weight and are weaned. Up to 4,000 Grey seals haul out onto the sand flats at Lindisfarne national nature reserve. Seals spend the other 20% their time on the surface; breathing, lolling around and digesting their food. We currently have 11 boats, 8 Glad Tidings, 2 St Cuthberts and our high speed Rhib Ocean Explorer. Seals on the Farne Islands. SCOTSAC Glasgow South trip to Farne Islands. Our boats have toilets on board and our catamaran has disabled access when the tides are right. Despite this, the pups still have a difficult childhood. Keep your eyes peeled for that grey shape bobbing in the sea. In 2017 Farne Islands rangers experimented with drones to capture seal pup numbers from the air. Pups are born with fuzzy, white fur, which is not water-resistant. The Farne Islands are popular with bird watchers, and as scuba diving locations, with a variety of sites suitable for all levels of divers, for the seals and wrecks. July 9, 2019 July 11, 2019 by Andrew Douglas. During the season, there will … We hope you enjoy your visit to Holy Island and have the opportunity to experience these fantastic animals. With over a thousand Seal pups born each Autumn our colony is growing strong. The Farne Islands are open for visitors between the 28th March to the end of October. As creatures of the sea, seals counted as ‘fish’ and so could be eaten on a Friday. Every year, we see an abundance of fantastic British wildlife, including puffins and over 100,000 seabirds. They spend 80% of their time underwater, diving for around eight minutes (although the longest recorded dive was 30 minutes) and hunting at depths of up to 30 metres. In comparison, Harbour seals are much smaller, weighting up to 170kg and reaching 1.5 metres in length. Say hello to the new seal pups on the Farne Islands, This seal has a yellow paint on its fur, showing it has been counted, Drones are a new way of counting seals that can be more accurate than traditional methods, Seals are born all across the Farne Islands. In 1378-79 a seal calf could fetch about 22p which works out at about £140 in today’s money. As with all marine mammals, they are covered in thick layer of blubber that they use to keep their body temperature stable in cold water, and a layer of dense, water-resistant fur. What can I say 2 fab dives with amazing seals. The Farne Islands are possibly the most exciting seabird colony in England with unrivalled views of 23 species, including around 43,000 pairs of puffin. Keeping the waters clean from debris and pollution is beneficial for all the animals that share this environment. Land on Inner Farne, Staple Island, and Longstone when the islands … The pup travelled 400 miles in a maximum of 14 days. These islands offer better protection from storms and high seas, preventing wave-wash which can be devastating to pups on low-lying islands which haven’t yet grown waterproof fur. We use cookies to provide you with a better service. If you’re lucky, you may hear the siren’s calls or even see a common seal lolling around Lindisfarne! Scuba Diving with Seals Birds: Puffins can be seen on the islands. As you look east and out to sea from Holy Island, you’ll see the Farne Islands. They spend 80% of their time underwater, diving for around eight minutes … This is when you’re most likely to see them, either bobbing on the water or hauled out on the shore. Longstone Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse located on Longstone Rock in the outer group of the Farne Islands off the Northumberland Coast, England. It's tough being a seal pup. This was the first sign that they travel huge distances across the North Sea. Of these, three are accessible: Staple Island, Inner Farne and Longstone (home to the ‘Grace Darling’ Lighthouse). One was found alive at Jaeren, 20 miles away from Stavanger, Norway on 30 December. If you’d like to help, why not participate in a beach clean and safely dispose of anything that might harm the wildlife. Given the right weather conditions, the seals are visited every … The visibility here is usually around 10 metres and you can experience some fantastic interaction with these inquisitive creatures. This is also reflected in the Grey seal’s Latin name Halichoerus grypus, which means ‘hooked-nose sea pig’. Fewer National Trust rangers were able to stay on the Farne Islands, off the Northumberland coast, to monitor them. The easiest place to access the Farne Islands in Northumberland is to take a boat trip from the nearby harbour village of Seahouses. The Farnes is one of the third largest colonies on the east coast of England. The primary species seen on Holy Island are Grey seals, also known as Atlantic seals. Seal and pup on the Farne Islands An annual seal census at one of Britain’s most important colonies has had to be carried out from the air due to … There are an estimated 3 to 4 thousand Grey Seals at the Farne Islands and large numbers can be counted basking on the rocks, especially at low water when more of the Islands are exposed. A cautionary tale is that of the man rushed to hospital in Devon, after he attempted to pat a seal on the head and was bitten. This gives us the number born annually and allows us to calculate the mortality rate. This is the second-largest seal colony in the UK. There will likely also be some seals in the water between the sandbanks and the island. Abandoned by their mother, they spend another 20 days or so on the colony before heading out to sea for an independent life. The work was started by the Natural History Society of Northumbria in 1952 (counts had been undertaken long before this but were only on certain islands). The Farne Islands lie two to three miles off the Northumberland coast midway between the fishing village of Seahouses and the magnificent Castle of Bamburgh. These trips will typically take you to see the seal colony up close first, and also either take you around the islands, or land you on one of them. Since they can’t hunt for food, the parents fast during this time, gaining energy from the blubber they have stored up. A common method used to tell them apart is that Harbour seals are more ‘dog-faced’ due to the dip between their forehead and nose creating a snout, while Grey seals are more cat-like with a rounded profile. Colonies congregate on the sand banks between the island and the mainland at mid to low tide. We’ve used Billy Shiel and Serenity, and both were excellent. They are very rare on the Farnes with an average of 1 recorded per year. Why not have a look at the rest of the site and please do not hesitate in … Sand eels make up about 70% of their diet, along with fish, squid and octopus. Visit from the sea. The Farne Islands are located just below the Scottish border on the east side of England for this Seal Diving Trip and are known as one of the best locations in the UK to dive with seals. The Holy Island colony haul-out among the Grey seals on the exposed sandbars at Fenham Flats. Dr Burville, a researcher from Newcastle University, was diving off the coast of the Farne Islands when he witnessed a male Grey seal ‘clap’ underwater during breeding season – which he then spent 17 years trying to capture on camera! Total trip duration is 2.5 hours. Very small numbers of common seals (also known as harbour seals) can be found on Holy Island, with small numbers around Teesside, then larger colonies around the Wash. There are frequent calls for culls by those who claim seals reduce fish stocks, although there is no scientific evidence for this. They seem to move around from year to year, so if you’re staying with us, we may be able to tell you the most recent and best viewing places at the time. While the pups are young, the males and females stay on land to protect and feed their offspring with extremely high-fat milk. The primary species seen on Holy Island are Grey seals, also known as Atlantic seals. Duration: 150 Minutes (approx.) Carry on browsing if you're happy with this, or find out how to manage cookies. Seals and Seal Pups. The colonies here are one of the most important in Europe, and this species of seal is the largest surviving carnivore in the British Isles. From documents through to the 1500s there was quite a trade in seals and seal products. 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