• Saturday 27th July 2013 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Saturday July 27th. 2013 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, WOLLONGONG, NSW, AUSTRALIA.
    Report prepared by: Lindsay E. Smith.

    Departed: 0710 hrs
    Return 1635 hrs

    Sea conditions: Up to 1metre swell from the east tending southerly in the afternoon

    Weather: Fine with scattered cloud

    Temperature range: 8.0 - 15 0 °C.

    Barometric pressure: 1010Hp rising later in the day

    Wind: N.E. 10knots in the morning decreasing slightly in the afternoon to 0.5knts
    Sea surface temperature: 17.7 in harbour 19.8° over the continental shelf break

    Current: From the North at 0.5 knots

    Primary chumming location: 240 Fathoms

    Summary:

    Conditions at sea were quite comfortable. A mainly fine day, with some scattered cloud. Very light winds from the N.E. Conditions at sea meant that we were not going to see a great number of birds due mainly to the lack of wind. The calm seas allowed the migrating Hump-backed whales to be seen at a distance.

    A couple of Fur Seals were the only other marine mammals were sighted for the day.

    The anticipated Prions and other cold water species did not appear and the Common Diving Petrels observed last month have moved off.

    Thank you to all who supported the trip and helped out.

    Cheers Lindsay

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

    005 Little Penguin, Eudyptula minor
    929 Southern Giant-Petrel, Macronectes giganteus
    971 Solander’s Petrel pterodroma solanderi
    083 Fairy Prion, Pachyptila turtur
    068 Fluttering Shearwater, Puffinus gavia
    086 Wandering Albatross, Diomedea exulans
    859 Campbell Albatross, Thalassarche impavida
    931 Buller’s Albatross, Thalassarche bulleri
    091 Shy Albatross, Thalassarche cauta
    864 Indian yellow-nosed Albatross, Thalassarche bassi
    104 Australasian Gannet, Morus serrator
    106 Australian Pelican, Pelicanus conspicillatus
    980 Brown Skua, Catharacta longbergi
    981 Kelp Gull, Larus dominicanus
    125 Silver Gull, Larus novaehollandiae
    115 Crested Tern, Sterna bergii


    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.