One of the first articles I wrote on Substack, in March 2021, concerned Les Dirouilles. One of the offshore reefs found in the waters around Jersey, but possibly the least well known. The Minquiers and Ecrehous, with their small cottages, have been well known for a number of years, whilst the access provided by the arrival of commercial rib tours have allowed locals and tourists to become aware of their beauty.
The Paternosters, or Pierre de Lecq are clearly visible from Greve de Lecq and some of the north coast headlands. The metamorphosed rocks provide the initial barrier to westerly swells arriving from the North Atlantic, so landing at times can be problematic.
Interestingly from a kayaking perspective Les Dirouilles is possibly the easiest to visit. Tidal streams from St Catherine’s Breakwater run almost directly onto the reef, ensuring an easy crossing to the offshore rocks. Starting the return journey around low water will ensure significant tidal assistance, on one trip our maximum speed peaked at just over 10 knots, but realistically achieving 7 knots is far more likely. Due to the times of high and low water in Jersey a visit to Les Dirouilles will always take place on Spring tides. What I mean by this, is that if it is low water around lunch time or early afternoon then in Jersey it will be a spring tide. Perfect for a picnic on the reef.
There are a couple of possible landing spots, towards the north east of the reef, with a small beach appearing towards low water on bigger Spring tides. It is a really pleasant place to land for a picnic on a warm summers day. There is a gully close to Les Burons, close to the south west corner of the reef, which is an alternative landing place and a great place to have a mid-paddle swim during the summer months.
The reef has always been an interesting place for wildlife, I have 19 species of birds on my reef list, with the only species which could be considered a land species being a couple of Swallows, which were migrating south in September 2021. I think possibly my most interesting species is a Red Throated Diver in March 2021. If you don’t use the website, eBird (from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) can I suggest that you explore it as means of recording your observations. It provides valuable data and is a fascinating way of looking at your bird sightings over the years.
What was noticeable on this visit was the almost total absence of Shags, my records show that on previous visits I have recorded around 30 individuals. Last Wednesday there was just 1 Shag plus a couple of Cormorants. The hurricane strong winds of early November have had a devastating impact upon some species, but it appears Shags in particular, have suffered. I have come across numerous dead Shags but live ones are conspicuous by their absence on the cliffs. Last Saturday I completed an 8 mile paddle along the north east coast of Jersey and didn’t see a single Shag on the cliffs. There was one on an offshore rock, and that was it.
Shags are quite a long lived bird, often living 20+ years ( the oldest recorded bird is 29 years and 10 months) but they don’t start breeding until they are 3 or 4 years old so any increase in their numbers is likely to take a while. 60% of Europe’s Shag population is found in the UK so they can be susceptible to local events. Unlike Cormorants they don’t venture onto fresh water. I love looking at Shags early in the season, when the feathered crest on their head is clearly visible. At this time their colour is an iridescent greeny-black. A beautiful but frequently ignored seabird.
Hopefully they will be able to increase their population levels to that of pre-Storm Ciaran and once again grace the islands cliffs and offshore reefs with their presence.
Our return to Jersey last Wednesday was in flat calm conditions but rather ominous looking clouds which remained in the distance. We reached about 7.5 knots as we headed towards St Catherine’s Breakwater. A good day on the water! The days when we are able to paddle to the offshore reefs are limited during the winter months, so when the opportunity arises its important to grasp the opportunity.