91Èȱ¬

91Èȱ¬ Radio Cornwall's Breakfast Presenter James Churchfield was out for a weekend walk around Falmouth when he heard tales from one local man about Beaky the Dolphin.

The chap told James that he was a regular sight in the waters off Falmouth in the 1970's.

The dolphin was well known for being playful, even using his beak to push rowing boats off course.

So during his programme on Monday 25 February 2008, James asked people to send in their memories of Beaky to see how many people got the chance to meet the famous dolphin.

A book about Beaky called Follow A Wild Dolphin was written by Dr Horrace Dobbs Founder of International Dolphin Watch.

Dr Horrace Dobbs was interviewed about 'Beaky' by 91Èȱ¬ Radio Cornwall...

In his book he explains that originally Beaky was in the Isle of Man where he was known as Donald. He then moved to Ireland, then Wales before moving to Cornwall in 1974 where he was first spotted in St Ives. It was here that he was given the name Beaky. The last known sighting of Beaky was on the 14th of January 1978 following a violent storm.

Dr Dobbs believed that nothing untoward happened to Beaky and that he simply went to live somewhere else.

As you can see from the tales that have already come in - Beaky made many friends along the way.

Memories of Beaky - send in your own with the form at the bottom of this page:

Gary Bethel shares his memory...I had a fantastic experience with Beaky in 1977 whilst serving as a Royal Navy Clearance diver. I was 21 at the time and a crew member on board HMS Bossington - a mine hunter. We were working under the pier when I felt several pulls or "tugs" on my life line, myself and my dive team mate went to the surface thinking we had been signaled for some reason only to find a large dorsal fin racing around us. I am ashamed to say my buddy grabbed me with great strength - adrenalin - and pushed me towards our impending doom to which I instinctively drew my legs up and out of the corner of my eyes I could see the surface crew rolling about laughing, this I could not understand, thinking Cornwall is not renowned for "killer" sharks but this is not a laughing matter, but then the "Chief"shouted its a ***!! dolphin. After we calmed down we re-descended and shortly after I felt one of my fins being pulled. I looked round and the dolphin was having great fun then generally pushed us around for a few seconds and disappeared, but the following day was much more exciting. We left Falmouth sound for a deep work up on this occasion we were doing about 55 metres. As we where travelling to the dive site the dolphin was racing along side us about 100 yards or so away faster than we could go with our powerful outboards and leaping out of the water, the boss said, "I think your going to have company down there today lads." We where paired up but the other diver was having trouble clearing his ears so I was hanging about three metres below the surface waiting , the visibility this time was excellent for UK waters maybe 20-30m or so. I kept turning trying to keep him in site and can clearly remember thinking at the time this "animal" could destroy if it so wished but knew this most powerful mammal would never have rammed me, quite the opposite. I lost sight and wondered of Beaky and the next thing I know is my legs are being gently parted until I felt the dorsal wedge against my buttocks (dive cylinders not a problem as we where in closed circuit apparatus), I looked down and remember thinking "I can see his blow hole", the next thing I know i'm being taken slowly to the surface and then after a few second being unceremoniously chucked off with great strength! I think Beaky thought I was drowning but then could sense that I was not in any distress. On the sea bed 55 metres approx this visibility was down to about 3m, but then you guessed it, our fins were being tugged again, Beaky then pushed between us both and rolled over. My "oppo" shouted in his best underwater voice "he wants a tickle", so we did to which he made a great deal of wonderful noise . I could see many scars on him. He then turned back over and stopped so we could both grab a pec each and share the dorsal. Then next he took off very slowly at first but accelerated to great speed I feel all my diving gear shaking but as mentioend before the RN kit is streamlined and close fitting . As we raced along the sea bed I thought this is one of the reasons I joined up. After about five minutes he just flicked us off as if we as a snowflake on a jacket. I was known as "dolphin boy for the rest of may draught on Bossington, I had many wonderful experiencesÌýas an RN diver and occasionally over the years when in conversation with people some think i'm making it up so I show the dive log entry to help confirm this amazing tale 21 3 77. I feel privileged and fortunate and will remember it in great detail for the rest of my life . PS one ofÌý my twoÌýdaughters is off to the Florida area soon and be fulfilling her ambition to get in with these beautiful and wonderful extremely intelligent creatures.

Tracey from Basingstoke say's...I was a teenager living in St Ives in the 1970's and Beaky gave me one of my funniest childhood memories.ÌýMy two friends (who shall remain nameless!) and I jumped off Smeatons Pier, swam out to a fishermans punt and climbed aboard to wait for Beaky as we had done many times before.Ìý He would let us hold on to his dorsal fin and whizz us along. Unfortunately that day the fisherman wanted to use his boat so I and my first friend dived in and started swimming back. Half way, with the quay lined with holiday makers watching us, we heard my second friend scream and turning back we saw her completely out of the water sitting astride Beaky's head with her halterneck bikini top flying out behind her!ÌýAnyone got pictures of that?

Paul from Saltash used to live in St Ives and work on the skiffing boats for Seal Island and fishing trips.ÌýWhen the big boats were on their trips we used to hang over the bow of the skiff and tap the water and Beaky would come alongside the boat where he could grab hold of his fin and he would pull us along.ÌýWhen he finished he would jump over the boat. Great memories of the '70's.

Ken Bazeley, HM Coastguard Falmouth wrote in to say; I listened to your interview with Horrace Dobbs and remembered an encounter one of my friends had with Beaky in the Isle Of Man, she was a friend of Horrace and used to dive and film with him, she would place a rock on her lap to keep her position on the sea bed whilst she took pictures, Beaky would become agitated until she removed the rock. It appeared Beaky knew she was air breathing, but did not realise her aqualung was giving her air. This was in the 1970's.

Shirley from St Ives say's, I have lots of memories of Beaky in and around St. Ives but the funniest was when my brother in law was being taught to sail in a friends old Cornish Lugger, It was his first solo trip and we were all watching as he made ready to leave the harbour, as he was about to set sail he suddenly started to go round in circles, then move rather fast and straight out to sea, it was then we noticed that Beaky had somehow gone under the boat and was holding it and taking him for a ride, It was the funniest thing we had ever seen, the look of embarrassment on Jim's face as he just had to sit there while Beaky played with him. It lasted quite a while and totally put Jim of, he didn't stay out very long and never lived it down. Beaky was an amazing Dolphin and delighted many people for many years, we were all very sad when one year he didn't appear and we never saw him again.

Raymond Dennis dived with Beaky dozens of times, having shared a boat with Bob of Mousehole [see memory below]. He explains..the boat was moored in Newlyn and from my home I overlook the harbour and would often see Beaky playing with our little inflatable tender moored near the larger boat waiting for us to go diving. When we eventually turned up to go diving, Beaky would follow our boat to the dive site which might be 10 miles away, and dive with us. and then follow us back to the harbour and watch us put the boats back onto the moorings. Often when we tried to climb back into the boat after a dive he would grab us by the arm when on the ladder, and pull us back into the water, he did not want us to leave him. His grip on your arm by his mouth was never enough to hurt, for he was a very gentle natured animal. We had many fantastic experiences with him, too many to tell here, but I will attach some of my pictures. Beaky was in the area from February 1976 to May of 1977 and he left the area after a summer storm, but he was seen later that year off the north coast of Spain by a diver from north Cornwall who had dived with him here in Cornwall. and Beaky was easily identified by the bullet hole in his head and the grey patch across the top of his head. He was also seen by a local merchant seaman early the following year off Gibraltar, so yes he had moved on.

Bob from Mousehole say's, I dived with Beaky hundreds of times. I witnessed him supporting a diver who was in distress until help arrived. He then followed him to the boat and then looked over the gunnel to see if he was ok. He also supported a seaman who had fallen overboard, until a boat was launched to come to his rescue.

Jim from Mousehole say's, I lived in mousehole some 30 odd years I went out in my punt most mornings I saw Beaky on many occasions he would come up to the boat play for while, never took any fish never touched my nets just a nice fellow sea person.

Andy from London say's 'Yes, I remember Beaky in 1976!!!' I was 12 and was in St Ives with my parents in August 76. In the evening after eating we would join the people stood along the path at the top of Porthminster Beach and wait for the dolphin to make an appearance. One evening we watched as it played with some guys who were just off shore from Porthminster Beach in a Zodiac (inflatable boat). A couple of times the dolphin jumped clean OVER their boat! Always remember that :-)

Paul from Perranwell remembers the summer of '76. I was snorkeling off our boat at anchor off the beach near St. Anthony lighthouse and watched amazed as Beaky took a turn of the anchor chain around his beak and attempted to tow the boat forward. At 9 tonnes and 35ft it proved too heavy to get far but Beaky had a go at another smaller fibreglass sloop and dragged it a good 30 yards causing much surprise and concern to the owners who where ashore having a picnic at the time! Myself and my younger brothers then had the good fortune to play with Beaky using a fender as a ball, a great memory never to be forgot from that glorious summer.

Martyn from Truro say's, I'm so pleased you are running this story, it's bringing back fond memories of warm summer evenings in the mid-seventies.Ìý I was in the Sea Cadets in Falmouth and remember Beaky well.ÌýWe used to go out rowing and sailing in the sea cadet's boats, launching from the slipway in Falmouth next to Custom House Quay.ÌýBeaky would often join us and swim with the boats.Ìý At the end of the evening he would come very close in to the slipway and we could swim with him.ÌýOn a number of occasions he let me hold on to his fin and pulled me along.ÌýSometimes he would take us quite far out, but always bring us back to the safety of the slipway and shallow water.Ìý Despite his size, he was very gentle and left you feeling totally at ease in his company.Ìý I feel very privileged that some people spend many hundreds (even thousands) of pounds to swim with wild dolphins, yet I am able to say that as a boy, I was often able to do so in Falmouth harbour!

John in Falmouth has lots of memories of Beaky. He used to encounter him when taking his boat out from Flushing, his son also swam with Beaky. The best memory was when his wife was on the Flushing to Falmouth ferry. Beaky followed the boat all the way, leaping out of the water to see who was on the boat. He was a charming animal.

Pam in Goonhavern remembers an encounter with Beaky while on holiday in St Ives. Beaky turned up and everyone went into the water and swam out to him where he played among the swimmers. She says it really was a magical experience.

Paul in Falmouth used to row his mother from Flushing to Falmouth to do her shopping and Beaky would often accompany them. He used to lift the dinghy up out of the water and push it forward so it was a bit like being in a speed boat.

Charlie in Stithians used to see Beaky when he worked in the Gas Works car park in Falmouth. Beaky used to come up to the steps by the Quay and Charlie used to stroke his beak. He then used to swim off and push the rowing boats around.

Ken in Falmouth - used to run a dive boat out of Falmouth and saw Beaky a lot - he took some pictures. He says they used to attract Beaky by banging the anchor chain. They even took Blue Peter out to film him.

Ann Holmes in Camborne used to go on holiday to Coverack every year and saw Beaky regularly. One night her daughter was at the harbour and a yacht started to move off - Beaky had gone in and untied the boat and was pushing it out to sea. She says a book about Beaky called 'Follow A Wild Dolphin' was written by Horace Dobbs - Beaky originally came from Ireland and was recognisable because he had scars on his head.

Ron in Fowey says his son used to row in the flashboats down at Pendennis in Falmouth. He was out practicing one day when Beaky came up behind him, put his beak on the boat and pushed it at tremendous speed through the water. is son sat helpless not knowing what to do. Ron stood watching....very funny.

Ann in Marazion has memories of Beaky. He once helped her husband look for a boat mooring in the Helford. Her husband went out to the moorings with a diver and they went down and Beaky was helping them by searching in the sand with his beak. Also he was in Penzance during a sailing championship and he was caught pushing the boats together.

Teresa in Heamoor touched Beaky as a child. She was a teenager and sitting on the steps at Penzance Harbour.Ìý Beaky came up to her and she stroked his head.