• Saturday 22nd October 2011 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Saturday 22nd October 2011 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
    Report prepared by: Lindsay E. Smith.
    Departed: 0710 hrs
    Return 1605 hrs

    Sea conditions: 1.0 -1.5m sea on a low 0.5 -1.5m swell from the east.

    Weather: Overcast morning clearing to scattered cloud.

    Temperature range: 16-27 0 °C.

    Barometric pressure: 1020Hp

    Wind: North east 5 - 10 knots later in the afternoon

    Sea surface temperature: 18.4°-20.6

    Primary chumming location 440 Fathoms

    Summary:
    We headed out under the influence of a high pressure system 1024 hp over the coast
    The winds had abated to 5-7 knots before increasing to 10 knots in the afternoon.

    There were very few birds inshore other than large flocks of Fluttering Shearwaters 200+. We headed out to the Wollongong reef where the bulk carriers lay at anchor. A few Crested Terns and one or two Black-browed Albatrosses (juveniles) followed in our wake. Conditions for birds were very light with many birds remaining on the water. The early light was poor. Though conditions were ideal for boating, birds were generally scarce. A few small pods of Hump-backed whales, mainly females and young were observed close in shore.

    As we stopped briefly at the Trap Reef, the Black-browed Albatrosses which had been following began to approach the boat. A small group of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters joined the melee of gulls at the stern of the boat. The occasional small group of Fluttering or Hutton’s shearwaters passed us by, not coming to the boat.

    The Silver Gulls were in small flocks. Crested Terns were present in small parties and were joined by a few Common Terns

    From the Trap Reef, we headed out over the abysmal plain towards the continental shelf break where again birds were few despite a late Brown Skua paying us a brief visit. This caused the following shearwaters to settle on the water and stay there, whilst the Silver Gulls rose high into the air. As we approached the shelf break, the first of two Solander’s Petrels of the day put in a brief appearance before moving off.

    With few birds present we continued out to 440 fathoms where we stopped and burlied for a brief period, attracting a few Wilson’s Storm-petrels a single Wandering Albatross and a lone Grey-faced Petrel and were soon joined by two Cape Petrels. Small flocks (20-30 birds) of Short-tailed Shearwaters were observed heading south as were a few Sooty Shearwaters. At last, the list for the day was beginning to look respectable. A few small pods of Risso’s Dolphin’s, were observed in 250 Fathoms on the run back to shore.

    Thank you to all that attended the day. We hope it was a pleasant and memorable day for all.
    Lindsay

    Highlights
    Risso’s Dolphins, numbers of Hump-backed Whales and a large Sun fish

    Birds recorded according to the Environment Australia Reporting Schedule:

    Species code: Species name: Numbers:
    (Note: numbers in parenthesis = highest count at any one time)

    05 Little Penguin Eudytula minor 1 (1)
    069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus 50+ (30)
    068 Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia 40+ (10+)
    913 Hutton’s Shearwater Puffinus huttoni 4 (2)
    069 Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris 100’s
    070 Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus 2 (2)
    075 Grey-faced Petrel Pterodroma m.gouldi 2 (1)
    080 Cape Petrel Daption c.australe 2 (2)
    086 Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans 4 (3)
    089 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche sp 6 (4)
    091 Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta 3 (2)
    971 Solander’s Petrel pterodroma solanderi 2 (1)
    104 Australasian Gannet Morus serrator 6 (2)
    106 Australian Pelican Pelecannus conspicillatus 30+ (22)
    115 Crested Tern Sterna bergi 20+
    953 Common Tern Sterna hurundo 2 (2)
    125 Silver Gull Larus noveahollandia 100’s
    981 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 3 (2)
    8698 Brown Skua Catharacta lonnbergi 1 (1)


    Mammals
    Common Dolphin
    Risso’s Dolphins c 30
    Australian and New Zealand Fur-Seals
    Hump-backed Whale c 30
    http://www.sossa-international.org

    Future Trips:
    All Pelagic Trips from NSW are operated at no profit to the organizers, being operated as group boat charters for the benefit of all who wish to join us. If you would like to join one of these trips please contact us as detailed below:


    To make a booking on the regular SOSSA Wollongong Pelagic Trips. Which departs on the 4th Saturday of each month. Contact: SOSSA: Phone 02 4272 4626 Email: sossa@tpg.com.au For further information in regards to other trips.
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