Hi All, here is last Saturdays' Southport Pelagic trip report;
Southport Pelagic 25th April 2009
Vessel: 37ft monohull, M.V. Grinner.
Skipper: Craig Newton.
Crew: Gailforce.
Pax: Paul Walbridge (leader & organizer), Richard Baxter, Inger Van
Dyke, Richard Fuller, Brian Russell, Heyn DeKocq, Dan Coleman, Decie
Coleman, Dave Stewart, Colin Reid, Stuart Warren, Rob Morris.
Weather conditions: A deep low in the Tasman Sea with a large high
moving in behind it extended a ridge over the Queensland coast. This
brought strong southerly winds onto the SEQ coast in the days leading up
to the trip which turned to the north west as the ridge weakened and as
the high moved away to the southeast. A generally sunny day with some
high cloud, visibility excellent. Winds from WNW early 10-15 knots,
increasing to 25+ knots out wide at times from the NW. Air temperature,
27* C max. Bar. 1016 hPa.
Sea conditions: Light seas on about a metre swell on leaving the
Seaway, quickly building up on moving out across the Shelf and with the
wind increasing in velocity. Out wide, just outside the Shelf-break
conditions worsened with up to 1.5 metre seas on at times 2.5+ metre
swell. Sea surface temperature at the Seaway 23.4*C, increasing to
25.7*C at the Shelf-break and to 26.07*C maximum.
Left the Seaway at 0610 hrs & travelled out across the Shelf, reaching
the Shelfbreak at 0850 and where, due to the prevailing conditions,
decided to start a drift soon after.
Final distance from shore reached approx. 42.5 kilometres ENE of
Southport Seaway.
Drifted until 1145 hrs, when headed back up into the slick for a final
check before heading back to the Seaway. Arrived back at the Seaway at
1445 hrs. Total duration of trip 8hrs 35 mins.
On heading out of the Seaway not much activity noted, save for a couple
of trawlers incoming,with nothing more than attendant Crested Terns and
Silver Gulls plus a Caspian Tern with a beak full of bycatch. Pretty
much nothing on the way out over the Continental Shelf, with a lone
Wedge-tailed Shearwater appearing just before the Shelf-break. Just
after crossing over the Shelf and due to the conditions we decided to
stop for a drift and lay down a berley slick. Within just a few minutes
the first Providence Petrels then Great-winged Petrels started to
appear. Initially Providence Petrels prevailed but as the drift went on
Great-winged Petrel numbers predominated.
Just after we stopped a very pale storm petrel appeared from the south
into the slick, Southports* very first White-faced Storm Petrel. Over
the next couple of hours several more would appear, with up to three in
procession, astern of the boat at close range working up the slick. By
now, other species such as Tahiti Petrel and the first of four Kermadec
Petrels, a very pale intermediate bird. The other three were mainly dark
birds, one with a pale chin but the last bird an all dark individual
which remained for over an hour. Surprisingly very few Wilson*s Storm
Petrels were seen but the troughs were fairly deep & such small birds
can be easily missed.
As we left for home more birds were still arriving, pity we had to
leave but the conditions weren*t getting any better & it was going to
be a bit of a slog back. Pretty quiet on the way back over the Shelf,
with a lone Great-winged Petrel following the vessel for some distance.
Just outside the Seaway three juvenile Australasian Gannets put in an
appearance, early for this part of the coastline.
Species List:
Wilson*s Storm Petrel * 3 (1)
White-faced Storm Petrel * 10 (3)
Wedge-tailed Shearwater * 8 (2)
Tahiti Petrel * 5 (2)
Kermadec Petrel * 4 (1)
Great-winged Petrel * 32 (10)
Providence Petrel * 35 (12)
Australasian Gannet * 3
Caspian Tern * 1
Crested Tern * 90 (60)
Silver Gull * 26 (20)
Mammals:
Offshore Bottlenose Dolphin 3+
Despite the conditions, a great day out was had by all and only two
were physically ill. The White-faced Storm Petrel was Southports* 76th
species recorded since we (thanks to the late Tony Ashby) started using
this venue in 1995. Before that we went out from Brisbane via Manly and
Moreton Bay, which was initially started by the likes of Corben,
Palliser & Stewart in, I think the early 1980s (correct me if I*m
wrong Chris) and was handed over to me circa 1990. Anyone wishing a full
Southport species list can contact me by e-mail or phone listed below.
In the not too distant future I & David Stewart will be starting up a
website specific to Southports* needs. Cheers * Paul W.
Contact:
Paul Walbridge: E-mail:
Ph: (H) 61 (0)7 3391 8839 (W) 61 (0)7 3139
4584
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