UKDIVING
A forest of coastal redwood trees
“ A few times a day we would lose sight of her , then she ’ d appear without the pup . We had a hunch ... We placed small remote cameras under the pontoons in an area where we had frequently lost sight of her . When we collected them , our suspicions were confirmed : we could see a pup peeking over a ledge under the pontoon ! Mum swims under the dock and tucks her pup on a hidden ledge . The pup ’ s not happy being left , but it ’ s warm and safe from disturbance while the mother is away getting some much -needed food for herself .”
Sarah ’ s team managed a few significant firsts , including some fast and flirty behaviour among blue whales , which scientists compare to ‘ speed dating ’. Scientific papers on this phenomenon are due to be published later this year . There ’ s also some unique footage of a two-month old orca taking part in a whale hunt , something that had not been previously captured on film .
These days no ocean documentary is complete without a big schooling fish scene , and Sarah spent long days at sea in search of massed anchovy . Her efforts were hampered by Covid-created conditions - fewer boats on the water meant sightings
A bloom of jellies , typical of temperate seas
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