[swelleyman]

Fished by the Black Wall on Staurday last, low water, daylight. Some Wrasse about but no evidence of anything else - no diving birds etc. After a while there was a mammoth swirl in the shallow water (4-6') Now i've fished in that place for too many years to be surprised at fish showing like this so, for me this was a one off. The swirl was about 8' wide and the noise a very loud and low pitch suggesting a large animal. My initial thought was Seal or small Dolphin or a diver! Within seconds the animal swirled again very close to shore in the tide rip, yards from the initial showing. My camera as out very quickly and put on video but there was no surfacing of sea mammal (nor had there been before) or any other showing. I watched for many minutes but all was quiet again.

So what was it? I wondered Tope perhaps but on Sunday I spoke to an experienced Straits boater who suggested Salmon or very large Sea Trout. I can remember seeing large salmon jumping in the Swellies when out trolling after Bass, but if it was this it was very, very large. For me it was a 'panic' by a big animal suddenly running aground though I did not see any body part showing above water on either 'swirl'.

 

[shaggy]

hi glyn you never no what going see these days ?as for what it was maybe porpoise?shaggy

 

[mabski]

they still jump down the swillies now i was down there on saturday and you could see the salmon and sea trout jumping a clear foot out of the water.there were shoals of mackeral chasing baitfish on the surface.even the baitfish were jumping out of the water

 

[swelleyman]

I remember them well! We always said that Bass rolled on the surface but Salmon and Seatrout jumped - very frustrating when they are fixated on bait fish/mackeral. I can really onlyremember one really big one (over 20lb) being hooked on a copper coloured Colarado spoon, but we all rekoned it was foul-hooked anyway! Mind you i'd rather have what Mabski wrote about, than nothing at all showing! I've written here before about my frustration with Seatrout (just up from Wal Ddu opposite the Gorad.) The 'happening' I wrote about was obviously something else! I just wondered if anyone else, like me, had experienced a 'leviathan from the depth' . What still sticks in my mind is the sound! It was so low pitched, not the normal splashing sound, and of course there was this circular swirl - a big tail sweeping round???

 

[budwrx]

sounded like fun prob a big silver if u ask me, you see them around my area, in very very shallow water, almost beaching them selfs, but you can never catch them, its like they are getting rid of parasites or sea lice or something

 

[dazdecs]

possibly that polish diver that took all the mullet from black point last year lol::crazy:

 

[chiefbeef]

What about the monster mullet that frequent those parts swelly?

 

[swelleyman]

It was probably after the Mullet shoals but this was no Bass. Seriously this was a REALLY big animal. I'd guess something at least 6' long judging by the very deep sound and the size of the swirl. Honest! I wouldn't have started a thread with an ordinary sighting. When wading in the area i've seen Bass between me and the shore and very many large mullet (over 6lbs in the past) - they were all tiny in comparison. Conger? Do they ever swim so fast? This 'thing' moved10 yards against the current in a few seconds. I know they can fight when hooked but when chasing prey? That's why I think Tope.

 

[chiefbeef]

would the dorsal fin not be showing 'jaws style' if it were a tope?

 

[oarsman dan]

bit of a wildcard ............ otter?

I know you didn't see anything surface, but they can travel a serious distance underwater before having to surface again. So if it was 'spooked' or frightened something......it could have been miles away in a matter of minutes!

Dan

 

[shaggy]

bit of a wildcard ............ otter?

I know you didn't see anything surface, but they can travel a serious distance underwater before having to surface again. So if it was 'spooked' or frightened something......it could have been miles away in a matter of minutes!

Dan

was thinking the same thing as numbers are growing around coast?shaggy

 

[fishfordinner]

would have thought seal,they can hold their breath for ages,so even after two passes without surfacing it could be 100 yds away minutes later before taking a quick breath again.when i fish at the rock ,white beach ,theres a seal which as soon as i start cleaning my mackerel will come and eat the heads as i throw them into the water just 20ft away,it never comes out of the water at all but theres a terrific swirl and then its gone until i throw the next head in and the same thing happens.wont eat the guts only the heads

 

[sallysludgebucket]

The Swellyness Monster !!!!!!!!

100's of watchers setting up camps with huge cameras, lights and RVs, I shall endeavor to supply nourishing bacon rolls and tea to fuel the exhaustive search ------

I have watched several otters on the Conway estuary and they do disperse a huge wake, but I prefer the magical mystic monster theory ! LOL

Will be around from tomorrow, will keep em peeled !

Swellybach

 

[gunless]

the conwy afanc has escaped.

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Wales-History/LegendofRiverConwyAfanc.htm


i have hooked this twice but not landed it yet!!!

 

[the cod whisperer]

the conwy afanc has escaped.

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Wales-History/LegendofRiverConwyAfanc.htm


i have hooked this twice but not landed it yet!!!

LOL :laugh:

 

[Welsh Wizard]

i found this in google and it mentions that sea otters are seen on the straits they grow to bout 4ft in length but in the water it might look bigger

hope this might help

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Menai.htm

 

[shaggy]

i found this in google and it mentions that sea otters are seen on the straits they grow to bout 4ft in length but in the water it might look bigger

hope this might help

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Menai.htm

good link so maybe it was otter?shaggy

 

[Pauls Dad]

Oh God no...the Scots always see Nessie in holiday periods now the banished man of Mon is seeing things...Glynne are you on commisiion for tourists brought to the island hehehehehe...

 

[swelleyman]

Cheers folk! Great contributions which have been carefully stored away - particularly the Straits one (8 knots though???) As to the Afanc - well what a creature, which I have encountered before (the story that is, in the mountains around Pen-y-Gwryd!) "terrible old creature with a love of young women" - sounds familiar! There are historians who consider the Afanc is a memory of the Beaver !! So the 'swirl' I saw Otter be a beaver?

Mind you it was the thought of bacon sarnies that really turned me on!

Agreed about breath holding ability but I did watch for some time. As to the Triangular dorsal - which I did not see - perhaps others might have seen Tope close to shore - in shallow water that is rather than being pulled towards shore. That was my initial thought because of the circular swirl.

Tourist board lacky eh! If only!

When I was there by the way I did notice the accelerated growth of damage to the Wall but took no photos. Much more seems to have been pulled down than earlier in the year. I sent Cadw an email. Have a look yourselves and post what you find - that wall is 4-500 years old and obviously extremely well built, it would be a shame to lose it.