PORT
FAIRY (PF), VIC, PELAGIC TRIP REPORT, 6 OCT 2002
OBSERVERS: Chris
Lester (organiser), Harry Clarke, Rohan Clarke, Stuart Dashpar, Sean Dooley,
Euan Fothergill, Rosemary Lester, Susan Myers, Frank Pierce, David Stickney,
Iain Woxvold & Mike Carter.
WEATHER: Early
partial cloud cover quickly burnt off giving us sunny conditions until midday
when cloud built up ahead of an approaching front. Cold. Calm at first with wind
gradually freshening from the north but not above 10 Kts till we were back
inshore.
SEA: Flat, rising to slight, on a low swell.
So a smooth ride with no-one sick.
ACTIVITY: Sailed at 06.06. Headed out on a
COG of 204º at 12.4 Kts. Some shearwater activity close inshore, but then little
except occasional seals and a small pod of Common Dolphins until feeding
Gannets, Short-tailed Shearwaters & Fairy Prions about 46 km out at the 65
fathom line. We continued across the shelf-break to join trawler fishing in 220
fathoms. Birds were slow to react to our shark-liver and chopped fish berley,
but they gradually accumulated at three stops between 08.25 & 11.25 centred
on 38º49’S 141º50’E beyond the shelf-break. Cruised the western and northern
shores of Lady Julia Percy Is. (LJPI) from 13.30 to 13.55. Docked at 15.00.
MAMMALS: About 5 Australian Fur Seals
were scattered across the inshore and offshore zones and 1,000’s at LJPI. A pod of c.12 Common Dolphins
offshore.
BIRDS: 24 species of seabird beyond
the river mouth indicated good diversity but only Short-tailed Shearwaters were
really abundant. The highlights are in capitals. Unless noted otherwise, those
listed below were near or beyond the shelf break (i.e.
pelagic).
Little Penguin: 2 near & 1 on
LJPI.
Common
Diving-Petrel: 1 inshore.
S. Giant Petrel: 1
juv.
N. Giant Petrel: 2
juv.
Cape Petrel:
1.
Great-winged
Petrel: 6 (3), all nominate race.
Fairy Prion: 80
(50), (65 offshore).
WHITE-CHINNED
PETREL: 1.
Short-tailed
Shearwater: 600; in all areas.
Fluttering
Shearwater: 100 inshore.
Wandering
Albatross: 1 stage 4, too distant to determine
sub-species.
N. ROYAL ALBATROSS:
1.
Black-browed
Albatross: 6 (4), all melanophris (2 offshore).
Shy Albatross:
cauta 90 (40), (5 inshore, 15 offshore).
Yellow-nosed
Albatross: 6 (3), (1 inshore).
Wilson’s
Storm-Petrel: 1.
GREY-BACKED
STORM-PETREL: 2 (1).
Australasian
Gannet: c. 90, (28 inshore, 60 offshore & 2 pelagic).
Black-faced
Cormorant: 1 juv. on LJPI.
Little Black
Cormorant: 1 juv. on LJPI.
Kelp Gull: 6 on
LJPI.
Silver Gull: 2 on
LJPI.
Crested Tern: 62,
(60 inshore & 2 pelagic).
Whiskered Tern: 4
inshore.
