A pod of playful dolphins offered a wonderful 'welcome back' to Farne Islands boatmen this weekend.
Whilst some of the boats of the Billy Shiel fleet make the trip from Seahouses out to the bird-filled islands throughout the year, April marks the start of the season proper. And on Saturday, one returning crewmember on board the boats was treated to a stunning sight on his first day back.
Video shared by the popular boat company shows how a group of dolphins accompanied the boat on one of its journeys, playing joyfully in the waves beside the craft.
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Skipper William Shiel said: "The crewman who took that video, it was his first day back yesterday. Of course we've been running across to the islands all year but we class this as the season starting now.
"It's always nice to see the dolphins. We don't see them as regularly as the puffins and the seals so it's just luck on the day."
While they're never a guaranteed sight, dolphins are spotted fairly often off the Northumberland coast. According to the Northumberland Coast Area of Natural Beauty website, two species of dolphin are regular visitors – bottlenose dolphin and white-beaked dolphins - while whales are even spotted occasionally in the area. Harbour porpoises can also sometimes be seen from the shore.
Meanwhile, wildlife lovers at this time of year are pretty much guaranteed a sight of puffins and seals, which take up residence in huge colonies on the islands. You can find out more about the Billy Shiel Boat's trips to and around the Farne Islands at: https://www.farne-islands.com/
