Image kindly supplied by Peter Ribbeck

How close is too close?

The rule of thumb is to stay at least 100m away from marine wildlife in the water and 50m away from marine wildlife on cliffs and rocks, if you can. That said, sometimes it’s difficult to judge distance, often it’s the wildlife that’s moving closer to you and sometimes it appears unexpectedly alongside your boat! The best you can do is use common sense and err on the side of caution. You can judge distance by counting how far away you are in boat lengths. For nesting birds on cliffs, and seals hauled out on rocks and ledges use binoculars to get a better view. If you don’t need binoculars to see the detail you’re probably too close! In fact, using binoculars is a great way to get a good look at all marine wildlife, not just birds and seals, without getting too close.

What should you do?

If you spot something over 100m away, stay on course at a steady speed, but be prepared to slow down to let it move out of your path. If you spot something less than 100m away, stay on course and slow down, but be prepared to stop altogether to avoid risk of collision. Stay at least 50m away from wildlife on cliffs and rocks, and consider slowing down to a speed that reduces noise.

How slow do I need to go?

As a general principle, slow down to a speed that allows you to take action if needed to avoid a collision. However, don’t put your boat at risk as it’s necessary at times to maintain speed for the boat’s safety in strong currents or rough weather. If you need to put the engine into neutral to avoid propeller injury, only do so if it is safe for you and your boat. Only re-engage the engine once you’ve checked around you.

How long is too long?

If something appears unexpectedly alongside you, for example, a pod of dolphins on the bow wave, let them decide how long they want to stay, and let them decide when it’s time to leave. Do not be tempted to follow them. If you see a marine animal and you’re far enough away to minimise disturbance, spend no more than 15 minutes observing quietly, and if you notice any signs of distress leave immediately.

What shouldn’t you do?

Don’t… turn your propeller towards the animals, chase, change course to get a closer look, steer directly towards them, over crowd them or box them in with other boats, block them between you and the shore, split or steer through a group, separate mothers and young, or outstay your welcome if you pause to take a look.