Wildlife on the waves

May 10 2009 by Amy Hunt, Sunday Sun

HOLIDAYS can be educational as well as relaxing. AMY HUNT had a whale of a time – almost – on a North Sea wildlife cruise . . .

STANDING on the deck of a ship at six in the morning, the sun rises as a gannet flies past the bow.

It’s a world away from the daily commute and all the better for it.

The wind might be chilly and the hour early, but there’s nothing like the natural wonders of the world to raise your spirits.

The DFDS Seaways weekend trip to Amsterdam has long been a favourite with those from near the Tyne and beyond.

Now the ferry firm has linked up with Orca – Organisation Cetacea – a whale and dolphin charity, which aims to protect and promote North Sea wildlife.

So, as passengers set sail on their mini-cruise to the Continent or head off on holiday, they can choose to learn a little bit about the sea, which is one of our region’s greatest assets, but about which most of us know little.

Aided by one of Orca’s wildlife officers, who spend the summer season from April to September aboard the boat, you can look out for the birds and sea mammals which make their home around our shores.

Puffins, porpoises, dolphins, and even the odd minke whale, if you’re lucky, are the sort of creatures you may encounter. And even though there’s no guarantee they will put in an appearance, just knowing they could pop up at any moment is exciting.

We have wildlife officer Rosie to show us the ropes aboard the King of Scandinavia. She comes armed with laminated spotters’ cards, complete with a points-scoring game, which would be great for the kids, and loads of wildlife-related literature.

After telling us about Orca’s work, she leads us out on deck to get our binoculars out for the ship’s departure from North Shields, North Tyneside, and we spot a pod of porpoises in the mouth of the river . . . our first adrenaline rush!

A variety of gulls, gannets and a couple of puffins fly past the ship as we start our journey down the east coast of England towards Amsterdam.

As the sun disappears, we leave Rosie on the deck and go to explore what facilities the ship has to offer. We grab some dinner in the Seven Seas all-you-can-eat buffet, which has a mouthwatering selection of dishes, including salads, seafood, hot meals for carnivores and veggies, and puddings galore. As it turns out, the breakfast buffet is extremely well-stocked, too.

On board, there is a selection of bars, including the Columbus Club with live music, duty-free shops, cinemas, children’s play area and a choice of restaurants.