The Hazards of sea travel

The plight of the Beluga whale sighted in the Thames this week is another reminder of  what is happening to the environment and no part of the planet is immune.

When we used to sail our 28ft boat on the river Medway many years ago we had to be vigilant to avoid the floating debris which could have damaged our hull.  Wooden pallets and other large pieces of timber were regular hazards as well as
partially submerged objects of unknown size and construction. In strong winds, even the moored large iron buoys became a hazard.

More than thirty years on the situation must be worse and the waters between the Thames estuary and Iceland will contain many tons of hard material as well as the plastic which is more frequently mentioned.  This whale will not have been on a sightseeing tour, it is clearly disorientated and its natural navigation system is not function.  One would not need to be a scientist to deduce that all this debris could be a contributory factor.  If a twenty eight foot plastic boat is in danger from these items, how much more so is a eighteen foot marine animal, whose natural sonar systems have been damaged?

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