Whitby, on the North Yorkshire coast, is perhaps not the first place you would expect to have a whale watching centre. However in recent years several species of cetacean have been reported there. Yorkshire Co-ordinator and Chair of Trustees Robin Petch has worked closely with local boat operator Whitby Coastal Cruises to take people out to see them and log sightings. A new company, www.whitbywhalewatching.co.uk has been formed to support this and former Gladiator Diane “Jet” Youdale opened the new Whitby Whale Watching Centre on 20th July. The company is providing space in the Centre to establish a Yorkshire and NE England regional office, our first such centre in the UK.
In less than two weeks Robin and other Sea Watch and Whitby Whale Watching observers have recorded a number of minke whales, a sei, a possible humpback, white-beaked dolphins and many harbour porpoise! Huge interest is being generated, with several passengers returning again and again. The story can be followed on the website, Facebook: Whitby Whale Watching and Twitter @whitbywhales where a number of photographs and film clips can
be found.
