Eaglehawk neck, Tasmania – Pelagic Trip Report – 14/03/2012
Participants: Paul Brooks (trip organiser and report compiler), Els Wakefield, Stewart Mitchell, James Melville & JJ Harrison. Aboard the Big Pig with skipper Stuart Nichols.
Activity: Left Pirates Bay at 0715 hrs in fairly overcast and dim conditions. Headed south-east to circumnavigate the Hippolytes and then came back inshore a bit to investigate a large gathering of seabirds before heading out to the shelf. Started our first berley run at 0900 hrs in 84 fathoms at 148193, -431807. Drifted for about 1.5 hrs before heading east to set another slick over 492 fathoms at 148.239, -43.1464. Drifted for 45 mins before heading back to the shelf for more berleying at 148.222, -43.1604 over 84 fathoms. Headed back in to the Hippolytes at 1250 hrs for some more berley just inside Hippolyte rock at 1315 hrs. Arrived back at Pirate’s Bay at 1500 hrs.
Conditions: Fairly benign conditions for most of the day with a swell to 2 metres (long sets) and little chop. Mostly cloudy with brief periods of sunshine and a predominantly east to south-easterly wind to 15 knots which eased during the early afternoon. One seasick.
Mammals:
Australian Fur Seal: c. 200. Many groups loafing around inshore and on the Hippolytes and a few offshore. 1 pelagic.
Common Dolphin: a pod of 200+ offshore. Several rode in our bow wave for a while.
Birds: The action began not long after we left Pirate’s Bay, with the first of many Short-tailed Shearwaters buzzing around and a lone Fluttering Shearwater hopping between patches of floating kelp. We investigated a large congregation of birds just inside Hippolyte rock which provided decent views of another Fluttering Shearwater and our first Yellow-nosed Albatross. Short-tailed Shearwaters became ubiquitous on our way out to the shelf: from the time we passed the Hippolyte until our return, there was always at least one in sight and often many more. Shy and Buller’s Albatrosses were also in view for much of the day, although we didn’t encounter any Diomedea albatrosses at all. Our skipper informed us that he hadn’t seen any for the previous two weeks either. At our first berley stop, there were at least 200 Short-tailed Shearwaters on the water behind the boat and more flying around. Our first berley stop also produced our highlight of the day, a brief fly-by of a Buller’s Shearwater plus our first of 2 juvenile Black-browed Albatrosses. Bird activity was quieter further off the shelf and remained so when we came back in to the shelf break, probably due to the easing of the already light winds (although many Short-taileds came back into our slick to feed, which they hadn’t done out wider). Inside Hippolyte rock, we had excellent views of another Fluttering Shearwater diving for scraps at the back of the boat.
Pacific Black Duck: 1 (1) On the beach in Pirate’s Bay.
Little Penguin: 1 (1) Inshore on the way back.
Giant-petrel sp.: 1 (1) Seen by one observer near the Hippolytes in the morning.
White-chinned Petrel: 12 (5) All pelagic. One with a dusky bill tip.
Fairy Prion: 5 (3) All pelagic.
BULLER’S SHEARWATER: 1 (1) A brief fly-by on the first berley run.
Sooty Shearwater: 2 (1) One inshore in the morning, 1 pelagic.
Short-tailed Shearwater: Hundreds, probably thousands (200+).
Fluttering Shearwater: 4 (1) 3 inshore, 1 pelagic.
Common Diving-petrel: 12 (2) 5 offshore on the way out, 1 pelagic and the remainder inshore on the way back.
Shy Albatross: 77 (17) Common all day, inshore to pelagic. Mainly adults but 3 or 4 juveniles.
Black-browed Albatross: 2 (1) Both juveniles, one each at berley stops 1 and 3.
Yellow-nosed Albatross: 2 (1) Both near Hippolyte rock, 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon. Adults.
Buller’s Albatross: 47 (11) Common all day, from inside to out wide.
Wilson’s Storm-petrel: 4 (4) At the first berley stop.
White-faced Storm-petrel: 1 (1) One seen briefly at berley stop 1.
Grey-backed Storm-petrel: 2 (1) Berley stops 1 and 3.
Australasian Gannet: 32 (12) Inshore and Hippolytes.
Black-faced Cormorant: c. 600 (c. 350) Many in inshore waters and large numbers roosting on the Hippolytes.
White-faced Heron: 2 (1) On top of Hippolyte Rock.
Pacific Gull: 1 (1) Inshore near the Hippolytes.
Kelp Gull: c. 220 (100) Inshore, many on the Hippolytes and 1 offshore.
Silver Gull: c. 500 (100) Mainly inshore and around the Hippolytes, 2 pelagic.
Crested Tern: 16 (2) Inshore, offshore and pelagic. ===============================
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