On Saturday morning bright and early after a 1.5 hour drive down from Brisbane the Devster and I stepped aboard MV Grinner, a 13 metre single engine Steber, along with another 12 people and headed out through the Gold Coast seaway for the continental shelf, some four hours away as part of our very first Gold Coast Pelagic.
This trip had been cancelled twice due to the weather and this was third time lucky, or so we thought. The weather forecast was for slight drizzle in the morning with 10-15 knot winds on a one to two metre swell. They actually got the drizzle part right but it was more like 20 to 25 knots on a four or sometimes five or six metre swell and a five knot current by the time we got there. To say it was a bit rough would not be extending the truth or exaggerating in any way. At this point some members of our party decided to start taking the sea sickness tablets which coincidently at the same time by reading the instructions found out that to be of any use whatsoever they should have started to take them the day before you board. By the time we arrived on the shelf we were at least three photographers down maybe more.
I was told later on that one of the most irritating things about seasickness is how everyone else around you just goes on their merry way, eating and drinking, perfectly comfortable and happy, in the same conditions that have reduced you to utter misery.
Prior to boarding I was aware of a sea bird called a Shearwater but I had no idea that there are at last count eleven different types of Shearwater that visit the Australian coast, Buller’s, Streaked, Wedge-Tailed, Sooty, Short-tailed, Flesh-footed, Manx, Fluttering, Hutton’s, Little and Audubon’s Shearwater and they look pretty similar at first to me anyway. I won’t mention the amount of Petrel’s that there are but it’s similarly confusing and that is just mentioning two of the species we encountered. Identification on board was not a problem, some of our party can identify these birds whist they are still just a blur on the horizon, I kid you not, it’s truly unbelievable!
Fortunately I have a cast iron constitution when it comes to sea sickness but I strongly suspect some of our party would rather gnaw their own arm off than go on another Pelagic trip.
Not the best photograph in the world (huge crop) but good enough to identify the bird and number one of four ticks for the day. An immature Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus). Also known as a Pomarine Skua.
Breeds in Finland to Siberia and Canada. Arrives in Australian offshore waters October - November and departs April-May...unbelievable distances.
A few Shearwaters from the day….
Short-Tailed Shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris).
Flesh-Footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes).The flesh coloured bill is the way I identify these now.
Wedge-Tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus).
Nice shots. Great to have people on board that can identify seabirds so easily, it saves you the struggle of identifying them yourself! How long did the trip go for altogether?
It was a day trip Tim.
Samford Valley Qld.
Have been waiting for these :-) Nice set of photos and very jealous, next time.
I'm very jealous too. I was so sick at the beginning they could have called a dodo bird and I wouldn't have cared as I was focusing on not thowing up again.
I did manage to get some photos and got 6 new species. The photos arn't great but I may put them on another thread.
Trying to hold on in 4-6m swells as well as taking a photo of a bird in flight while feeling like you're inside want to join the rest of you on the outside was extremely difficult to do.
Needless to say I got plenty of shots of bits of birds and ocean.
Now I know what to expect, I can prepare a little better for next time.
Oh and nice shot of the Skua you lucky buggar.
Sounds like a very interesting day to say the least :-) I can vouch for the fact that anti seasickness tabs need to be taken at least early in the morning of the day of departure. Once the nausea starts you could take 500 and it wouldn't help :-) :-)
Sounds like you had an interesting time :P
I especially like the Flesh-Footed Shearwater one, and it must have been hard to get a clear flight shot in that swell
Ryu
Canberra
Aiming for DSLR-quality shots with a bridge camera
Nice set of shots in difficult conditions.
It sound like it was quite an adventure :) and i'm just super impressed with absolutely anyone who can id all those sea birds, they are one of my personal struggles :P I really like all your photos! However the second shot is just lovely with the clear water. Great job! And poor Devster, i'm sure you'll remember for next time (though I might be hearing you muttering "if there is a next time" :P ) Good on you both for going out in the weather :) And thanks for sharing Reflex!
Albatross - no albatross sighting so you will both have to go again, congratulations on the 4 ticks
Peter
Thanks Peter. I'm already booked on the next Mooloolaba Pelagic on the 7th of November.
There were other birds that I should have photographed but for all sorts of reasons I missed a few including Long-tailed Jaeger, Little Tern, Fairy Tern and Hutton's Shear water. Hopefully next time the weather won't be quite so horrendous.
Samford Valley Qld.