HWDT’s Floating Classroom to visit Barra and South Uist schools for the first time in 10 years
HWDT’s Floating Classroom to visit Barra and South Uist schools for the first time in 10 years

This September we will be setting sail to Barra and South Uist to welcome schools aboard our research vessel, Silurian. HWDT’s education team are also inviting local communities to join them aboard during our drop-in open boat events.

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Silurian, Events & OutreachSadie GorvettSilurian, sightings, open boat, research vessel, research, talk, citizenscience, science talk, Hebrides, Scotland, get involved, education, floating classroom, schoolsComment
Hundreds of people join ferry watching event in Scotland and contribute to marine conservation
Hundreds of people join ferry watching event in Scotland and contribute to marine conservation

The ferry routes operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) off Scotland’s west coast are fantastic platforms for spotting wildlife, journeying through stretches of water rich in marine life. 

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Events & Outreach, SightingsMorven SummersWild Discovery, Mammal, Mammal Society, events, CalMac, Ferry, Scotland, ferry watching, Things to do Scotland, whale watching, whale watching in Scotland, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Wildlife, wildlife watching
The conservation impact of joining a HWDT Research Expedition
The conservation impact of joining a HWDT Research Expedition

Our expedition surveys on board our research vessel, Silurian, have been monitoring Scotland’s seas for over two decades. This long-term monitoring is critical, driving protections to restore marine biodiversity and championing healthy seas for nature and communities.

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Silurian, Science & Research, Climate ChangeMorven Summersscience tourism, ecotourism, volunteer now, volunteer holiday, expedition, marine expedition, whale watching with a difference, whale watching, experience in the field, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, wildlife watching on mull, minke, minke whales, how can I get involved in whale research, how can I help whales, save the whales, porpoises, acoustic data, research expedition
Go west! Survey team 13 find their sense of adventure aboard Silurian
Go west! Survey team 13 find their sense of adventure aboard Silurian

As reports of the wettest summer on record spread, the team aboard the 13th expedition this field season battled through to survey around the west of Mull, rewarded with dolphins and porpoises.

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Silurian, Survey SummariesEmma Longdencitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
Porpoise, seals and seabirds outshone the high seas on our latest survey
Porpoise, seals and seabirds outshone the high seas on our latest survey

Wow - we’ve completed out twelfth survey of the season! Although the challenging weather keeps on coming, our latest bunch of intrepid sailors found an abundance of porpoise, seals and seabirds.

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Silurian, Survey SummariesEmma Longdencitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
Wind and rain didn't dampen spirits during our second teen expedition
Wind and rain didn't dampen spirits during our second teen expedition

The second of our teen trips this year experienced some challenging conditions. However, off Scotland’s west coast there are many sounds (channels of water) and sea lochs to hide from the worst of the weather. During this expedition, we managed to survey some local sea lochs for the first time this ‘summer’ field season.

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Silurian, Survey SummariesSadie Gorvettcitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
Plankton parties, sea dips, BBQ’s and minke whales on our first teen trip of the year
Plankton parties, sea dips, BBQ’s and minke whales on our first teen trip of the year

The teens from our first teen research trip this year recount their experience surveying Hebridean Seas and the fun times they had joining us onboard our research vessel, Silurian.

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Silurian, Survey SummariesSadie Gorvettcitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
Minke madness, basking shark and humpback whales on our ninth survey...
Minke madness, basking shark and humpback whales on our ninth survey...

The team on our ninth survey encountered minke whales, common dolphins, basking shark and humpback whales on their nine day expedition out of Ullapool. Read all about their experiences here…

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Silurian, Survey SummariesJenny Hampsoncitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
A trio of whales in a day on our eight survey of the season!
A trio of whales in a day on our eight survey of the season!

The team who joined our seventh expedition encountered minke whales and dolphin calves galore while battling through large swells in the Minch. Read all about their expedition here…

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Silurian, Survey SummariesEmma Longdencitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
Dolphin calves galore on HWDT 7…
Dolphin calves galore on HWDT 7…

The team who joined our seventh expedition encountered minke whales and dolphin calves galore while battling through large swells in the Minch. Read all about their expedition here…

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Silurian, Survey SummariesJenny Hampsoncitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
Whale Track: NTS Culzean Castle Community Event
Whale Track: NTS Culzean Castle Community Event

This July, join HWDT and The National Trust for Scotland at Culzean Castle and Country Park to find out what whales and dolphins can be spotted in your area and how you can get involved in helping us deepen our understanding about these animals by conducting a ‘watch from land’ using whale Track.

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Silurian, Events & OutreachSadie GorvettSilurian, sightings, open boat, research vessel, research, talk, citizenscience, science talk, Hebrides, Scotland, get involved, education, floating classroom, schoolsComment
Close encounters of the whale kind…
Close encounters of the whale kind…

The team who joined the sixth expedition of the 2024 summer field season encountered ten minke whales while circumnavigating Islay and Jura.

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Silurian, Survey SummariesJenny Hampsoncitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
Plankton party, poems and …pigs during fifth expedition of the 'summer' season
Plankton party, poems and …pigs during fifth expedition of the 'summer' season

The fifth expedition of the year presented some challenging weather conditions, but the hardy souls aboard Silurian provided equal measures of fun and laughter with food. A plankton party and pass the pigs providing a memorable week for all.

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Silurian, Survey SummariesEmma Longdencitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us
St Andrews University students join us aboard to gain first-hand monitoring experience
St Andrews University students join us aboard to gain first-hand monitoring experience

Every year, we welcome aboard teams of students from St Andrew’s University Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) to discover how we collect data on board our research vessel, Silurian. Over the course of 10 days, three teams spent time travelling to different areas of the west coast, collecting vital visual and acoustic data on marine mammals.

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Survey Summaries, SilurianSadie GorvettSt Andrews University, Marine Mammal Masters Fieldtrip, University Field Trip, training course, training, silurian, acoustic survey, visual monitoring, whale, dolphin, porpoise, who is studying Scottish dolphins, who studies whales UK, Scottish wildlife, rese, students, student training, marine biology, SMRU, Sea Mammal Research Unit
Whales, dolphins and sunshine during third expedition
Whales, dolphins and sunshine during third expedition

The team of the season's third expedition enjoyed sightings of whales, dolphins, and sunny weather! They recorded over 200 marine mammals in the week-long live-aboard expedition surveying the Hebridean seas.

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Silurian, Survey SummariesJenny Hampsoncitizenscience, science tourism, citizen science projects, join us on board, amainzing opportunity, whale watching, whale watching with a difference, helping save whales, helping save dolphins, monitoring vessel, research trip, research expedition, expedition, experience in the field, marine mammals, marine mammal monitoring, scotland, hebrides, science at sea, wildlife holiday, wildlife experiences in Scotland, sailing experience, sail with us