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Displaying items by tag: Banna

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has confirmed it is investigating the recent discovery of beheaded seals on a Co Kerry beach.

But as TheJournal.ie reports, the situation may not be as sinister as might appear at first glance — with experts saying it’s not unusual for seal carcasses to wash ashore headless by various causes.

The most recent concern was prompted by a report from a woman walking on Banna beach in Co Kerry, where she described happening upon mutilated seal carcasses on the sand.

However, Melanie Croce of Seal Rescue Ireland in Courtown, Co Wexford says that while it does appear the seals in question were beheaded, “this is actually something that we’ve seen for many years and many other rescues see it as well worldwide.

“Unless you’re doing a post-mortem examination, it’s very difficult to determine the cause of death. But, you know, we can’t prove anything either way,” she added.

Seals have become a divisive issue in the South West in recent years.

Earlier this month the Government shot down proposals to allow the culling of seals by rifle in the vicinity of protected areas where local inshore fishermen claim their catch is being depleted by the appetites of seal colonies.

TheJournal.ie has much more on the story HERE.

Published in Marine Wildlife
Tagged under

Local residents have been disturbed by the discovery of decapitated seals on a Co Kerry beach, as the Irish Examiner reports.

Speaking to Kerry Today on Radio Kerry, a local woman described coming upon the grisly scene on Banna beach where a number of seal carcasses lay mutilated.

And she suggested that the heads had been purposefully removed in incidents that were not the result of an animal attack.

The revelation will recall memories of similar seal beheadings in Dingle in the summer of 2012, for which the culprits were never found.

The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

Published in Marine Wildlife
Tagged under

The Round Britain & Ireland Race

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race will feature a wide variety of yachts racing under the IRC rating rule as well as one design and open classes, such as IMOCA, Class40 and Multihulls. The majority of the fleet will race fully crewed, but with the popularity of the Two-Handed class in recent years, the race is expected to have a record entry.

The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race starts on Sunday 7th August 2022 from Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK.

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is organised by The Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with The Royal Yacht Squadron.

It is run every four years. There have been nine editions of the Round Britain and Ireland Race which started in 1976 Sevenstar has sponsored the race four times - 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and has committed to a longterm partnership with the RORC

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is a fully crewed non-stop race covering 1,805 nautical miles and is open to IRC, IRC Two Handed, IMOCA 60s, Class40s, Volvo 65s and Multihulls that will race around Britain and Ireland, starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes on the Isle of Wight starting after Cowes Week on Sunday 7 August 2022

The last edition of the race in 2018 attracted 28 teams with crews from 18 nations. Giles Redpath's British Lombard 46 saw over victory and Phil Sharp's Class40 Imerys Clean Energy established a new world record for 40ft and under, completing the course in 8 days 4 hrs 14 mins 49 secs.

The 1,805nm course will take competitors around some of the busiest and most tactically challenging sailing waters in the world. It attracts a diverse range of yachts and crew, most of which are enticed by the challenge it offers as well as the diversity and beauty of the route around Britain and Ireland with spectacular scenery and wildlife.

Most sailors agree that this race is one of the toughest tests as it is nearly as long as an Atlantic crossing, but the changes of direction at headlands will mean constant breaks in the watch system for sail changes and sail trim

Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race Records:

  • Outright - OMA07 Musandam-Oman Sail, MOD 70, Sidney Gavignet, 2014: 3 days 03:32:36
  • Monohull - Azzam Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, VO 65, Ian Walker, 2014: 4 days 13:10:28
  • Monohull All-Female - Team SCA, VO 65, Samantha Davies, 2014: 4 days 21:00:39
  • Monohull 60ft or less - Artemis Team Endeavour, IMOCA 60, Brian Thompson/Artemis Ocean Racing, 2014: 5 days 14:00:54
  • Monohull 40ft or less – Imerys Clean Energy, Class40, Phil Sharp, 2018: 8 days 4:14:49