Eaglehawk Pelagic Trip Report, 21st Feb 2015

Participants: Ruth Brozek, Allan Gibbon, Iris Gibbon, Rob Hamilton, Jan Knott, Mona Loofs-Samorzewski, Joy Peter, Owen Roberts, Glynis Roberts, Els Wakefield, Andrew Walter and Paul Brooks (organiser and report compiler) Boat: The Pauletta, skippered by John Males, with deckhand Michael Males. Conditions and Activity: Left port at 0720 hrs to circumnavigate the Hippolytes. Winds were from the north-east at around 15 knots, and would remain similar for much of the day. Weather was mild and partly cloudy; inshore water temperature was 19 deg C. Seas inshore were between 1 and 1.5 m with a swell under 1 m. We pulled up for our first berley run, over 250 fathoms, east of the Hippolytes at 0910 hrs. The north-easterly was a fairly constant 25 knots and the seas remained below 1.5 m. We drifted back into 200 fathoms before heading north-east to set another slick over 500 fathoms, drifting in to 430 fathoms. Conditions here were very similar with perhaps a slight drop in wind speed. Water temperature remained in the low 19 deg Cs out wide. Motored straight back to port, docking at 1455 hrs. One seasick. Mammals: Australian/New Zealand Fur Seal: c. 60 around the Hippolytes. Common Dolphin: 1 Pelagic. Other: 2 Shortfin Mako Sharks attracted to our berley in pelagic waters. Birds (IOC v 5.1 – max at one time in brackets): Little Penguin: 1 Inshore in the morning. Antipodean Albatross: 4 (3) All pelagic, all Gibson’s. Black-browed Albatross: 6 (4) 1 adult offshore in the morning followed the boat beyond the shelf; 4 immatures and a different adult in pelagic waters. Shy Albatross: c. 80 (26) 12 inshore in the morning; 8 offshore; remainder pelagic. Many birds followed the boat between berley points. Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross: 3 (1) All adults, all pelagic. Buller’s Albatross: 18 (4) All adult. 5 inshore in the morning, 7 offshore in the morning, 6 pelagic. Northern Giant Petrel: 2 (1) Both immature, both pelagic. Great-winged Petrel: 2 (2) Both birds joined the boat not long after the first berley point and fed in the slick. One was particularly tatty. Both race *gouldi*. White-chinned Petrel: 11 (6) All pelagic, bar a single bird just outside Pirates Bay in the afternoon. Sooty Shearwater: 3 (1) Pelagic. Short-tailed Shearwater: c. 1,100 (c. 300) A few inshore in the morning; up to 800 offshore in the morning; remainder pelagic, with many birds feeding in the slick. Fluttering Shearwater: 1 Near Cheverton Rock (inshore). Hutton’s Shearwater: 1 Pelagic. Fluttering-type Shearwater: 3 (1) 2 inshore, 1 offshore. Wilson’s Storm Petrel: 2 (1) Pelagic. White-faced Storm Petrel: c. 30 (13) All pelagic. Grey-backed Storm Petrel: 1 Pelagic. Common Diving Petrel: 1 offshore in the afternoon. Black-faced Cormorant: c.528 (c. 150) 28 inshore in the morning; c. 200 on Cheverton Rock; c. 300 on the Hippolyte. Australasian Gannet: c. 195 (c. 90) 13 inshore in the morning; c. 30 on Cheverton Rock; c. 150 on the Hippolyte. Silver Gull: c. 172 (c.100) 11 inshore in the morning; 12 on Cheverton Rock; and c. 150 around the Hippolyte, including a raft of around 100 on the south-western side. Pacific Gull: 3 (2) All adults – inshore in the morning. Kelp Gull: c.25 (c. 40) 8 inshore in the morning; 8 juveniles on Cheverton Rock; remainder at the Hippolyte. Greater Crested Tern: 6 (2) 4 inshore in the morning; 2 at the Hippolyte. PB