Sections
CalendarLeaving the harbour at 07: 37 hrs, we headed out in a ESE direction towards the edge of the continental shelf. Sea conditions were fairly calm, so we were able to see cetaceans at some distance, passing several Humpback Whales and being joined for a period by a number of Bottle-nose Dolphins, which were part of a larger pod seemingly spread out over a large area. Near the shelf edge we diverted to watch a Humpback slapping its tail down on the water surface very energetically.
Reaching shelf edge waters, we stopped at 09.50 hrs for our first chumming session in 159 fathoms/291 m at 34 47 12 S; 151 10 41 E. This was about 32 kms from the harbour. Over the next two hours we gradually drifted around 6 km south in the northerly current, throwing out our usual mixture of chicken mince, beef fat and tuna oil to see what we could attract. We managed to lure in six species of albatross, either to check us out or to feed on our offerings. Apart from the smaller albatrosses, regulars here in winter time, we were delighted to have a hungry Antipodean Albatross, subspecies gibsoni, sometimes called New Zealand Wandering or Gibson's Albatross, come in to the back of the boat. The word must have gone out to its friends because it was joined by a number of other similar birds, coming in one by one, until, by the time we moved on, there were six of them, male birds judging from their white heads and crowns, all unbanded and making short work of our chum. This is the largest number of birds of this species we've had for some years.
Eventually, with the feeding large albatrosses seemingly making the smaller birds reluctant to come in to feed as well, we moved on to 34 48 35 S; 151 08 32 E, about 4.4 km to the northeast in 126 fathoms/230 m, where we began chumming again at 12.20 hrs. The larger albatrosses remained behind to digest their beef fat, so we had a couple of Black-browed Albatrosses come in, but they weren't so hungry. Bird numbers remained low here so we set off for port at 12.45 hrs, being entertained by Bottle-nose Dolphins again as we travelled back in without further stops, arriving at 14.45 hrs.
Sea conditions were comfortable with a 0.5 to 1 m swell rising as the day progressed and a moderate northerly wind rose. Sea temperature at the shelf edge was 18-19 degrees.
Highlight was the good number of larger albatrosses and cetaceans over the course of the day.
Species seen outside the harbour, maximum at any one time in brackets:
125 Silver Gull: 15+ (8)
115 Greater Crested Tern: 20+ (10) up to 10 rested on the bow rail at the shelf edge
White-fronted Tern?: 1 (1) a small tern with a black bill which didn't come close was possibly this species
065 White-faced Storm Petrel: 6+ (2)
847 Antipodean Albatross: 6 (6) all appeared to be male NZ breeding subsp. gibsoni, sometimes called NZ Wandering or Gibson's Albatross
088 Black-browed Albatross: 2 (2) one adult and one immature
859 Campbell Albatross: 1 (1) adult
91 & 861 Shy Albatross: 4 (2)
864 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross: 1 (1)
931 Buller's Albatross: 1 (1)
083 Fairy Prion: 3+ (2)
971 Solander's Petrel: 20+ (4)
069 Wedge-tailed Shearwater: 9 (2)
068 Fluttering Shearwater: 7 (2)
104 Australasian Gannet: 4 (1) adults and immatures
097 Little Black Cormorant: 1 (1) just outside the harbour
We saw a seal sp. resting on the water surface, 5+ Humpback Whales including several tail slapping, and, on the outward and return legs, large pods (50+) of Bottle-nosed Dolphins.
Report prepared by Graham Barwell