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The weather conditions during the weekend prior to the trip were quite favourable but a massive low pressure was forecast on Monday afternoon (20th), which eventuated with gusts of over 100 miles an hour. This forced us to delay the trip to allow the front to pass. After this passed we tentatively headed south through the D'Entrecasteaux channel at 5pm to check a forecast later that evening. Unfortunately we had to take anchor at Southport with a strong wind warning and didn't head to sea until the following morning. We departed at about 9am on the 21st and headed south in the direction of the Soela seamount. For the duration of the 21st the wind was moderate northwesterly but a strong southeast change that evening halted progress towards the Seamount so we ended up about 70 miles north by dawn on 22nd. Due to an ongoing poor weather synopsis, we were forced to head north and sailed back towards the continental shelf throughout the day but another change to the southwest brought strong winds and swell for the 32rd so the decision was made to head immediately back to Hobart.
WEATHER AND SEA CLIMATE
Weather was mixed with varying wind conditions between 15-35 knots. A number of low pressures passed through over the course of the week. With the exception of the first day, all other days averaged about 20 knots of wind. Sea surface temperature was surprisingly warm: 14.4 degrees off Tasmania, probably due to a few days of warmer conditions over the previous weekend.
BIRDING
Despite the poorer weather conditions, birding was excellent. Sadly the trip did not make it to the Soela Seamount but a single very good view of Broad-billed Prion was had in the afternoon and photos confirmed at least one Salvin's Prion amongst Antarctic Prions. There was also a single-observer sighting of an adult Fjordland Penguin about 120 miles south. Compared to the week before there were much larger numbers of Common Diving Petrels in Storm Bay, where we also encountered Common Dolphins. One Sooty Shearwater and two Yellow-nosed Albatrosses were seen (neither were seen the week before) but surprisingly, no Grey-headed Albatross. Notably, there were larger numbers of Great-winged Petrels and White-headed Petrels, the latter being abundant over deeper water.
CRICKET
England 1 Australia 0 in the Ashes and Flintoff with a five-for at Lords. Three tests to go...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to all those below who attended and made the trip possible and to Fred and Dave of Blizzard Expeditions for making it such an enjoyable and safe trip.
Click on an image to view the slideshow.
The trip began at Southport with an assortment of common coastal species (Silver Gulls, Black-faced Cormorants, Kelp Gulls and Pacific Gulls) plus two Bottlenose Dolphins in the harbour. The sea conditions were reasonable throughout the day and relatively large numbers of birds were present behind the boat for the afternoon including White-headed Petrels, many of which were feeding in small groups. The first Antarctic Prions of the trip were seen.
By the second day a strong southeasterly had set in and we began the day in abyssal water northwest of the Soela seamount. Nevertheless this was an exciting day. Disappointed that we had not reached the seamount we had to turn north almost immediately but there were plenty of birds around. Numbers of White-headed Petrels were still very high. Prions appeared patchily throughout the day and inspection of photos confirmed Salvin's Prion early in the day. It was not until mid-afternoon that a single Broad-billed Prion was seen well, approaching the vessel to within a few metres. A casual glance at a Great-winged Petrel dropping on the water yielded a brief but good view of a Fjordland Penguin for one observer. The lack of fleshy gape, black throat, longish yellow crest and white flecks in the cheeks were diagnostic.
On the final day we proceeded almost immediately off the shelf as a strong southwesterly wind had built a large sea overnight. The relatively small number of sightings reflects a relatively low level of observation effort.
| Species | No. |
|---|---|
|
350
|
|
|
100
|
|
|
70
|
|
|
70
|
|
|
60
|
|
|
25
|
|
|
18
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
14
|
|
|
14
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
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