Hi folks,
The Macquarie, Campbell, Enderby and Auckland Islands trip was
extraordinary (as
others have covered well in this forum).
I'd like to recall my most memorable incident though.
After leaving Macquarie Is and heading NE to Campbell Is in late afternoon,
we passed through
the best seabirding of the trip. The water drops quickly to 6 km shortly
after only a few km's.
Most of us were on or adjacent the bridge......White-headed, Soft-plumaged,
Mottled, White-chinned
Kerguelen Petrels and the odd Blue Petrel were showing well. Most of us had
seen the later several times.
Jack, being only 11 (and a bit shorter) keep missing the Blue. One time he
went to get something for me
inside and missed one as soon as door shut. I felt like a mongrel......In my
defence with all the activity,
I wasn't aware that he'd not seen it yet.....anyway, another belted
past....tall people stood up and moved
...........dipped again....I can tell you it is hard to see through binos with
tears welling, 40knt breezes, lumpy
swells and a crowded bridge..........Then, in fadding light, the dinner
call comes out.......Unknowingly,
everyone else happily turned their attention to their stomachs
(understandable)........Jack was getting hot
.......(as he was dressed for 5 deg and we were back on the bridge)......I
asked if I could take his coat off....NUP!
Want to go dinner......NUP......so I stayed with Adam (a
staffer)......minutes go by.....plenty of Antarctic
Terns doing their best BP impression......Almost resigned to being the worst
person in Jack's short (but abt 575)
birding career...........BLUE PETREL......Adam pulls him....I push him to
the prime spot......I can say
honestly that that was the best individual viewing of such a sensational
seabird that I had....banked both ways,
showed it's white tail tip and dark cap beautifully....only metres away from
the bow.
Triumphantly and tears gone we enjoyed dinner, a red or 3 and a few cans of
Sprite for Jack.
Thanks to everyone who made the trip so fantastic....including Jack, who's
passion , stamina and knowledge
and enthusiasm was a hightlight in itself. To the outsiders (AKA those who
preferred the outside deck), Richard,
Inger, Dick, Mick, and Bob....and to the insiders (AKA . see above), Chris,
Rosemary, and others, thanks
for sharing the experience.
Cheers,
Bill Moorhead
Bundaberg
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