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100 Dolphins in Lough Foyle off Moville pier

Posted Tuesday, June 9, 2009

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Dolphins

Foyle Rowing Club members got more than they bargained for as they met up for their usual Tuesday night row from the slipway at Moville Pier.

Someone spotted the dolphins leaping from the water.

It was thought that there were three or four or five.

Out went the speedboat and a rowing boat.

In the speedboat were Gerard McGonagle, Kate McLaughlin, Ross Hamilton, Ryan Kelly and Chloe Reynolds.

In the rowing boat were Doctor McGinley, Hugh and Robert Kelly, and Tony Reynolds.

Stunned

They were stunned when they got out amongst them and found that there were about a hundred dolphins.

It was thought that they were feeding on a shoal of young mackerel or herring, especially as the seagulls were in attendance too.

The rowers and speedboat got right up close to them.

Close Up

According to Kate McLaughlin in the speedboat "They were so close I could have touched them. One came right up close to me. I thought at one point that one of them would tip the boat. It was an amazing experience. I don't think I'll every experience anything like that in my life again. We saw a wee baby one that was white underneath. We saw it up close".

Her son Ross, 4, just kept saying "that was amazing, that was amazing".

Doctor McGinley took some snaps of them but unfortunately he has a time delay of a second - just enought time for the dolphins to disappear underwater again.

He'll check to see if any of them came out properly and send them to me.

All Around

He said "They were all around us. A couple of them went straight under the rowing boat. They followed us while we were rowing. As soon as we stopped they would go back under water. I think it is the pull of the boat that they like when we are rowing".

That's two exciting evenings this week for Don McGinley. On Sunday night and into the wee small hours of Monday, as Martin Farren's campaign manager, he enjoyed a rollercoaster ride of emotion as Martin came from behind to win the council seat.

He'll need to sit down and take a pill if he get's any more excitement this week.