Eaglehawk Pelagic Trip Report – 5th March 2017
Participants:
Jez Bird, Ruth Brozek, Alan Clarkson, Karen Dick, Rob Hamilton, Mona
Loofs-Samorzewski (report compiler), Jim Sneddon, George Vaughan, Michael
Vaughan, Peter Vaughan, Brenton Von Takach Dukai, Els Wakefield. Trip organised
by Paul Brooks, who was unable to attend.
Boat:
The Pauletta, skippered by John Males, with deckhand Michael Males.
Notes:
A fairly average trip in terms of diversity and number of species but with very
pleasant and enjoyable conditions. No stand-out species, the highlight probably
being a very young Wandering Albatross, found later from photos to be banded on
the left leg. Plenty of evidence of breeding Australasian Gannets on the
Hippolyte with a banded adult also discovered from photos. On our return the
deckhand put out a line and hooked up a small tuna – those who wanted took a
steak home.
Activity:
Left Pirates Bay at 0710 hrs and headed down to circumnavigate the Hippolyte
before traveling south and then turning east once we reached the shelf-break.
The first berley was set over 414 fathoms at 0930 hrs, only drifting 300-400 m
due to the wind and tide working against each other. We headed further east and
south to berley again at a similar depth at 1112 hrs. We finished with a third
very brief berley at 1225 hrs at about 20 nm offshore before heading back to
port, once more passing by the Hippolyte, to dock at 1455 hrs.
Conditions:
Left port under overcast skies with a sea mist. The southwesterly swell was
under 0.5 m at 0800 with a light southwesterly breeze. Once we passed the
Hippolyte the swell increased to approx 1 m with a fresher more southerly
breeze, then reached 1.5 m before dropping off again to a 1 m swell at our
first berley point. As the morning progressed the cloud dissipated resulting in
some sunny patches. The southwesterly swell picked up to 2 m at 1045 with 2 m
southerly seas on top, reducing again around midday. The wind dropped out at
around 1225 and it remained light for the rest of the trip. Pelagic water
temperature was 19.8 °C. Rather pleasant conditions really. None seasick.
Mammals:
Australian/New Zealand Fur Seal: 124 (20) On and around The Hippolyte with 1 in
pelagic waters.
Common Dolphin: 2 (2) inshore in the afternoon.
Birds (IOC v 7.1 – max at one time in brackets):
Little Penguin: 6 (2) 2 inshore and 2 offshore in the morning, 2 inshore in the
afternoon.
Wilson’s Storm Petrel: 7 (3) 3 offshore and 4 pelagic.
Grey-backed Storm Petrel: 2 (1) both pelagic.
White-faced Storm Petrel: 13 (9) 3 offshore in the morning, the rest pelagic.
Wandering Albatross: 1 very fresh juvenile at the first berley, banded on the
left leg.
Antipodean Albatross: 1 gibsoni in pelagic waters.
Black-browed Albatross: 1 inshore in the afternoon.
Campbell Albatross: 1 immature in pelagic waters.
Black-browed type Albatross: 1 inshore in the morning.
Shy Albatross: c50 (31) 9 inshore, 7 offshore, the remainder pelagic. All adult
barring 2 immatures.
Buller’s Albatross: 10 (1) 3 inshore, 4 offshore, 1 pelagic and 2 inshore in
the afternoon.
Fairy Prion: 2 (2) both pelagic.
Great-winged: 1 pelagic.
Grey-faced: 1 pelagic.
White-chinned Petrel: 20 (20) all pelagic.
Sooty Shearwater: 2 (1) 1 offshore, 1 pelagic.
Short-tailed Shearwater: c1000 (300) 230 inshore, 720 offshore, remainder
pelagic.
Fluttering Shearwater: 17 (3) 6 inshore, 7 offshore, 4 inshore in the afternoon.
Hutton’s Shearwater: 2 (1) 1 near the Hippolyte and 1 offshore.
‘Flutton’s’ Shearwater: 5 (1) 1 inshore, 4 offshore.
Common Diving Petrel: 2 (1) 1 offshore and 1 bird in pelagic waters.
Australasian Gannet: c90 (70) inshore, on and around the Hippolyte. Interesting
to see 7-8 chicks and 1 banded adult in the morning on the Hippolyte, and 1
immature in offshore waters in the afternoon.
Black-faced Cormorant: c450 (160) inshore.
Silver Gull: 130 (40) 110 inshore and up to 20 around the boat in pelagic
waters.
Pacific Gull: 2 (2) inshore.
Kelp Gull: 45 (20) inshore.
Greater Crested Tern: 2 (1) 1 inshore and 1 pelagic.
Forest Raven: 1 near the Hippolyte.
MLS
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