• Monday 17th October 2016 SOSSA PELAGIC TRIP, KIAMA, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

    Date / Month: Monday 17th October 2016
    Recorded by: L. E. Smith
    Location: Kiama
    Air temp: 22-24 Water temp: In Shore 20.5/Off Shore 22.8
    Air pressure: 1016 Cloud cover: 9/10th
    Wind speed and direction: N-NW 15-25kts in the morning turning to the SW 7-10knts in the afternoon.
    Sea conditions: 2-3m decreasing to 1m in the afternoon 1st swell North-easterly 1-2m 2nd swell South-westerly 1m

    Comments

    Conditions at sea were comfortable at our first chumming location in 75 fathoms. However conditions over the Continental Shelf break in 120 Fathoms were not comfortable at all. This was largely due to the strong current running south-east. Unfortunately due to the rising swell 2-3m we were only able to stay there for an hour before returning to 70 fathoms.

    Birds observed on the day were typical of the birds expected for this time of the year with excellent views of most species. A number of Hump-backed Whales and large numbers of Common Dolphins in low seas inshore created much interest in the afternoon.

    Sp No Species Number. (Number in brackets is the maximum number sighted at any one time)

    75 Grey-faced Petrel, Pterodroma gouldi - 1
    971 Providence Petrel, Pterodroma solandri - 40+ (26)
    069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus - 100+ (20)
    931 Buller’s Albatross, Thalassarche bulleri - 1
    071 Short-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus tenuirostris - 100+(20+)
    068 Fluttering Shearwater, Puffinus gavial - 10+ (5)
    088 Black-browed Albatross, thalassarche melanophrys (Immatures) - 5 (3)
    091 Shy Albatross, Thalassarche cauta - 1
    861 White-capped Albatross, Thalassarche steadi - 30 (12)
    063 Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, Oceanites oceanicus - 30+ (5)
    104 Australasian Gannet, Morus serrator - 6 (2)
    097 Little black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris - 1
    096 Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo - 2
    106 Australian Pelican, Pelicanus conspicillatus - 3
    945 Pomarine Jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus - 1
    125 Silver Gull, Larus novaehollandiae - 2
    115 Crested Tern, Sterna bergii - 4 (2)