Pelagic
trips on board the Sandra
K are organized by SOSSA on the 4th Saturday of every
month (Dates
and prices for 2008 & 2009). Additional trips are
undertaken at other times as are private charters for game
fishing and whale surveys.
The month-by-month birding guide or species tick-list will give you an idea of what you may see on a pelagic trip off Wollongong. Monthly trip reports are also available for Wollongong pelagics plus full species lists for birds and mammals.
Boat trips depart Wollongong Harbour (Belmore Basin) at 0700hrs (see map) and generally return at approx. 1630hrs. During this time the boat will travel out to the edge of the continental shelf which is about 20 nautical miles east of Wollongong.
What to expect...
Everything and nothing!! The ocean is an extremely unpredictable environment which can yield albatrosses and killer whales one day and a vast expanse of lifeless water the next. The SOSSA team will always work hard to find the right spots based on the conditions of the day but we can never guarantee anything. Safe to say though if you're new to pelagic birding or Australia we'll find something of interest. If you have 'target' species then maximise your chances of seeing them by consulting our month-by-month birding guide.Most of our regulars just love being at sea and the excitement of not knowing what's over the next wave!
What to bring...
A day at sea can be long and exhausting experience so prepare yourself accordingly. Please provide your own food and drinks plus warm clothing, spray jacket, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses (polarized work best), notebook, binoculars, camera, field guides.
Pelagic birding can be very tough. Looking at birds through binoculars on a wobbly ocean often leads to time spent hanging over the side of the boat. Unless you have a cast iron stomach then you should consider taking seasickness pills (Avomine, Kwells, TravelCalm) at least half an hour before departure - check pack for full instructions. However, most if not all of these pills make you very drowsy which may detract from your pelagic experience. Also please be very careful if you plan to drive after the trip.
Usually two or three volunteer guides from SOSSA will be onboard to introduce you to the marine biology of the Illarwarra region and help identify the birds, mammals and even the fish we may encounter. The price and schedule for the regular trips can be found here.
Since 1985 over 100 bird and 30 cetacean species have been seen in the Illawarra region principally from the Sandra K. Check out the trips reports for an indication of what you might see.
Also check out Tony Palliser's Pelagic Birding page to see some truly stunning photographs (some taken from the Sandra K) and also the probability of seeing certain species from Wollongong at different times of the year.
