Whale and Dolphin Watching in Cork
When it comes to unique wildlife encounters there are few things as breathtaking and humbling as coming face to face with the world’s largest creatures.
Whale watching is one of those activities that comes close to the top of every “100 things to do before you die” bucket list ever compiled — and it’s much more accessible than you might think.
World Class Whale Watching in Ireland
When most people think of whale watching they immediately think of distant shores… places like Iceland, Baja California, South Africa, New Zealand or Canada… places that can be difficult and expensive to get to.
But the truth is you don’t have to travel far to access truly world class whale watching. You’ll find some of the best whale watching opportunities in the North Atlantic aboard the Holly Jo with Cork Whale Watch.
West Cork, on the Irish south coast attracts minke whales, fin whales, and humpback whales to feed in its rich waters every year. A short drive or a cheap flight will get you to County Cork, and their purpose built whale watching vessel, the Holly Jo provides the ideal platform for that once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The Whales and Dolphins of West Cork
Every spring minke whales, Ireland’s smallest baleen whales, return to the West Cork coast to feed. They see minkes regularly from April onwards, through the summer and autumn into December. As early summer progresses the minke whales are joined by humpback and fin whales returning from their winter breeding grounds.
Weighing in at seventy tons, and reaching up to 23 metres (75 feet) in length fin whales are true ocean giants. These are the second largest animal ever to have lived, and an encounter with fin whales off the coast of West Cork will stay with you for a lifetime. It is one of the most awe-inspiring experiences in the natural world.
Dolphin and Porpoise
Common dolphins, as the name suggests, are their most frequently observed cetacean. They encounter them regularly during summer, autumn and winter, and they often approach their boat, bow-riding just ahead of them and leaping acrobatically alongside, offering some amazing close-up views. They often see very large groups of common dolphins that include mothers with their calves. Contrary to popular belief, the best time to see the largest aggregations of dolphins is not summer but during the large whale season in late Autumn early winter.
The harbour porpoise is their smallest cetacean and although elusive, can be seen regularly in calm conditions, but they are difficult to detect in choppier sea states.
Bottlenose dolphins turn up occasionally along with occasional visits from Risso’s dolphins and Atlantic white-sided dolphins. Once in a while the ocean’s apex predator, the killer whale cruises through West Cork waters, although sightings of them are extremely rare events.
