It’s the second instalment of the ORCA Sea Safaris, where two Intelsius employees get the opportunity to spot whales and dolphins in real time, as part of our commitment to supporting the ORCA Charity.

ORCA Sea Safaris gives members of the public the chance to spot marine life in the Bay of Biscay. They record their sightings and directly contribute to the long-term preservation of whale and dolphin habitats in the UK, France, and North Spain.

In July, Intelsius Ireland Internal Sales and R&D representative Sharon O’ Sullivan, and international Quality Manager Felicity Neale (Flis) set off from Rosslare Harbour in Ireland.

For the second trip, Research and Development Scientist Kelly Roy  and Supply Chain Manager Ryan Scott were paired up for the journey. Both Ryan and Kelly are based in the Intelsius headquarters in York, UK.

Read more about their trip as they set off from Plymouth, UK.

 

How was the trip?

KR:It was such a fantastic experience — the Brittany Ferries sea safari from Plymouth to Santander felt more like an adventure than just a crossing. The views of the coastline and open sea were incredible, and spotting wildlife along the way made the journey unforgettable. The whole experience was made better by travelling with Ryan and the informational support and enthusiasm of the ORCA conservationists and volunteers.

RS: The trip was a fantastic experience, one that I would recommend to anyone. Getting to spot cetaceans with my own eyes was great, it’s just a shame I never managed to get a photo of one!

 

Did the experience bring you closer to the work of our corporate charity, ORCA?

KR: Absolutely. The Sea Safari gave us a chance to learn more about the charity first hand, as well as directly see the data they are collecting and how it is innovating change. By working with a cruise liner for data collection, they are able to work towards informing cruise and cargo transit routes in hopes of avoiding disruption to key ecological areas. There is plenty of information available, from presentations, guides, daily muster talks and friendly volunteers!

 

RS: It was great to see the work and effort they make to protect marine life. The guides and volunteers are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and there are many points along the journey where you are given more information, through infographics and muster talks on the boat, where you can learn more about the impact of the work the charity does. You can get a lot out of an experience like this.

 

How was it travelling with a fellow member of staff you perhaps hadn’t previously spent a great deal of time with?

KR: It was great to get to know Ryan better, as our roles don’t often overlap and as such gave me a deeper insight into what his job role entails as Supply Chain Manager. More so, it was great to spend some time with Ryan sharing stories, having a laugh and simply enjoying being out in the open sea.

 

RS: Travelling with Kelly was great. Turns out we are very similar as people so it was effortless to have a conversation with one another and get to know each other more. I definitely lucked out getting paired with Kelly!

 

What would you say to other Intelsius employees considering applying for next year’s Sea Safaris?

KR: Apply! Explore the boat and get chatting to ORCA volunteers and Sea Safari enthusiasts alike, they are a wealth of interesting knowledge on not only the animals themselves, but the conservation efforts currently ongoing. The muster talks are a great opportunity to learn more, get chatting and catch up on the daily spotting statistics. Use the time to learn, not only about ORCA but your colleague!

RS: To anyone considering applying for next year’s Sea Safari I would say the best opportunity for sightings is to stick close to the people with the big cameras! They know what they are looking for in the water, otherwise you’ll be staring into the deep blue aimlessly hoping to see something. Also don’t forget to go to Heladería Capri for an ice cream, very much needed in the warm weather.

 

 

If you’d like to find out more about ORCA’s work, visit their website here.