This morning (Wednesday 18th July), we left our mooring in Fareham Lake, at the north west end of Portsmouth Harbour, and sailed to Bembridge. The tide was too low for us to get in, so we turned round and came straight back - and at the Saddle buoy, we were joined by a dolphin that stayed with us all the way to the No. 4 buoy into Portsmouth - about twenty five minutes altogether, at a speed around 5 knots. It swam close to Miss Fidget, swimming alongside, underneath, now and again leaping from the water and blowing - really seeming to play. It was an amazing experience...

The photos show how close the dolphin came - you can just see our guard rail in each one.

Gilliane and Richard

Miss Fidget, Super Seal 26, no. 69

---

Fabulous pics! I met one in 2000 off Beaulieu but not so close. Not seen one since in this area (Solent - Poole). Was there just the one? perhaps it was lonely?

There used to be a website linked to a sighting log but Google can't find it and I can't remember what it was called.

Geoff Harwood P21/30 Cygnus

There was just the one - and it really seemed to enjoy staying with us, so perhaps it *was* lonely...? It first came up from behind us, and blew, making a noise that might have been 'look at me!'. It then swam round the boat, sometimes blowing on one side and sometimes on the other. Once I got my camera out and wedged myself looking to starboard, it stayed on that side of the boat, and we could see it just below the surface, close to the boat's hull, and swimming at the same speed we were making - and then every now and then breaking surface, which is when I got the photos. It really did seem that it was aware of our thrill at seeing it, and was responding - though maybe that's too anthropomorphic! It left us when we reached the No. 4 buoy and had to start the engine to use the small boat channel into Portsmouth Harbour.

http://www.solent.tv/pag...page=S633148230045333750 . That must have been extraordinary - though further from land than the one we saw...

Gilliane

Miss Fidget, Super Seal 26, no. 69

---

Great photos!

We get them here too - plus these basking sharks.

As you can see, they are not afraid to come up close!

[img][/img]

Stephen Godber

235/51 "Exodus"

---