PORTLAND PELAGIC VIC, 25 MAY 2003 Rob Farnes
Peter Barrand and I took up an offer to join a tuna fishing trip off
Portland, thinking we may see a few seabirds even though there would be no
stopping and berleying.
This was in the "Gerald John" Richard (Dick) Smith's charter vessel in which
I had run two previous pelagics this year. I will hopefully be running a
few trips again in the summer and autumn next year or later this year.
Anyone who would like to organise a trip over winter may contact Dick direct
on (03) 55235307 e-mail mobile 0428527077. Basic
requirements are 12 people at $100 per person.
WEATHER: Clear skies early becoming cloudy later, sunny bright conditions.
SW wind of 5 knots.
SEAS: Slight with a low swell.
ACTIVITY: Sailed at 0900 h keeping close inshore until we cleared Cape
Nelson then headed SW crossing the shelf off Cape Bridgewater, we then
motored east (trolling the lines out the back of the boat doing 6 knots)
meeting a trawler at Lat 38o 38'S Long 141o 19'E and in 185 fathoms. In
the wake of the trawler there were about 120 albatrosses and a large mixed
flock of storm-petrels otherwise it was a fairly quite day. Furtherest
point reached was 29 NM from Portland, no Bluefin Tuna were caught fisherman
claimed the water temperature was too cold. Highlight of the day was no
doubt the number of Grey-backed Storm-petrels closely followed by a crayfish
breakfast.
MAMMALS:
5 Australian Fur Seals
Blue Whale spout (large vertical) off Cape Bridgewater along way off.
BIRDS:
N. Giant Petrel: 1 offshore (very close).
Fairy Prion: 1 offshore (carter had them all)
Short-tailed Shearwater: 2 offshore, 1 inshore.
Fluttering Shearwater: 60 inshore.
Black-browed Albatross: 2 offshore, 75 pelagic.
Shy Albatross: 1 offshore, 45 pelagic.
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 1 offshore, 5 pelagic.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel: 80 pelagic.
GREY-BACKED STORM-PETREL: 40+ pelagic.
Australasian Gannet: 1,000's Lawrence Rock, small groups offshore.
Black-faced Cormorant: 7 inshore.
Great Skua: 1 offshore.
Silver Gull: 6 inshore.
Crested Tern: 9 offshore, 1 pelagic.
White-fronted Tern: 2 pelagic.
Rob Farnes
Lot1 Mt. Clay Rd.
Heywood 3304
(03) 55271650 e-mail
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