EAGLEHAWK NECK BOAT TRIP - 10 February 2002
GROUP: Shirley Fish, Chris Lester, Jann and Ross Mulholland, Simon
Mustoe, Keith Reid, Phillis and Terry Smithhurst, Bill Wakefield.
VESSEL: Pauletta.
SKIPPER: John Males.
WEATHER: Cloudy early. Showers and thunderstorms over the Tasman
Peninsula, but remaining fine at sea except for occasional light
drizzle. Moderate S wind of 15 knots early then freshening
quickly to 30+ knots.
SEA: Choppy sea with initial slight swell, but rising with the
strengthening wing to very choppy with up to 4 m swell.
ACTIVITY: Sailed 07.20. Headed directly east from Pirates Bay to the first
(and only) stop between 09.00 - 09.30 at 43 o 04
'S 141 o 10'E,
approx half-way to the shelf with water temperature at 17.3 o C.
Good numbers of ST Shearwaters nearly all flying with the wind.
Very small numbers investigating the berley. WC Petrels seemed
the most inquisitive. Two gadfly petrels were seen in the
distance.
Given the freshening wind, we coasted slowly out to the shelf at
12 nm from Pirates Bay, went S for 2 nm, then SW for 8 nm to the
Hippolytes without stopping. The Gould's Petrels were all seen
in this section, flying slowly and low against the wind. The
last gave a particularly good view. None paused for the boat.
We then sailed directly to the shore and travelled back NW to
Pirates Bay in the lee of the shore, docked early at approx
13.15.
ANIMALS: Australian Fur-Seals - at and near the Hippolytes.
BIRDS: Good numbers of Short-tailed Shearwaters only. Low numbers of
other species. The highlight of the day was Gould's Petrel.
At sea:
Little Penguin 1.
Common Diving-Petrel 1.
Giant petrel sp. 1 flew by at a distance.
GOULD'S PETREL 5 (1). Reasonable views, one close.
Fairy Prion 3 (2).
Prion sp Small numbers flying by at a distance.
White-chinned Petrel 10 (3). Constant companions near and on the shelf.
Sooty Shearwater 1.
Short-tailed Shearwater 1,000 (150). Good numbers, not particularly hungry.
Wandering Albatross 1. A fly-by juvenile.
Black browed Albatross 2 (1).
Shy Albatross 10 (3).
Yellow-nosed Albatross 1.
Buller's Albatross 5 (1)
White-faced Storm-Petrel 1.
Australasian Gannet 20 (4).
Black-faced Cormorant 10 (3).
Pacific Gull 4 (2)
Kelp Gull 15 (6)
Silver Gull 3 (2).
Crested Tern 1.
At the Hippolytes:
Australasian Gannet 200.
Black-faced Cormorant 50.
Remaining 2002 Trips: 9 June, 22 September and 24 November.
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