This Is Guernsey

By Jess Stevenson

THE annual Puffin Patrols have been grounded because of the risk to Travel Trident’s business.

Company manager Peter Wilcox (pictured) said the decision to stop the trips was regrettable but a minor incident could render a ship’s captain unable to work for six months.

‘The boat has to go fairly close to the rocks, so it’s off the beaten track,’ he said. ‘If the skipper was involved in an accident because the boat had engine failure and it hit a rock, the penalty would be a minimum of a six-month suspension because it would have to be investigated,’ he said.

He said the loss of a skipper for six months would not be commercially viable.

‘If we were making lots and lots of money as a result of the trips then we might have said it was worth the risk, but it just takes something to go wrong and you question why you were doing it.’

The RSPB Guernsey branch has been organising the May-July patrols since the mid-1980s.

It was an opportunity to see a variety of seabirds close up around the cliffs of Herm and Guernsey.

‘It’s a shame to put an end to such a traditional trip, but we’ve weighed up everything and we’ve decided it’s not financially viable,’ said Mr Wilcox.

‘There just isn’t enough business to continue running the service.’

He said Travel Trident had charged £10 for adults and £5 for children but he would not raise fares, despite the fact it donated 25% of profits from the trips to the RSPB.

Puffin Patrol organiser and RSPB Guernsey branch member Tony Grange said he would like to hear from anybody with a craft licensed to carry passengers who might be interested in taking over. ‘They have been valuable in terms of education and entertainment to thousands of people over the years,’ he said.

‘I can completely understand why Travel Trident has to balance the risk against reward and we now live in a much more litigious society.’

Mr Wilcox said people would not be left completely without a service as Island Rib Voyages would continue to offer such trips.

Ship to Shore tour guide Annette Henry said people would still be able to see puffins on her tours, which are conducted on the same vessels on Wednesday evenings from May to August.

‘People will be able to enjoy a history tour as well as catching a glimpse of the birds,’ she said.

‘We don’t go in as close, but we can still see the puffins and it’s often magical.’

nÊMr Grange said puffins could be seen on the south-east corner of Herm from now until about mid-July. The Bailiwick is the southernmost edge of their breeding range.

Article posted on 25th March, 2009 - 2.29pm