So yesterday it was down to the fish quay for 8am to meet the rest of the gang and we were off for this seasons first of three pelagic trips! The weather was looking perfect, if not a little cloudy, but the winds that had been quite strong on the previous few days had settled down and they proceeded to drop even further as the day wore on. However those earlier winds had resulted in quite a swell so before setting off I'd popped a couple of sea-sickness tablets down, just in case. I was later wishing I hadn't! It was a few hours into the trip that I began to feel very light-headed and just a little bit nauseous - I presumed it was the beginning of being sea-sick so I popped another tablet down. In fact it wasn't sea-sickness but it was the tablets that were not agreeing with me. The effects seemed to get worse and during the middle of the trip I was feeling quite unwell and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. Even my usual remedy of several Snickers Bars and Ginger Nut biscuits (thanks Bob) weren't helping. To show how bad I felt, we had a beautiful Sooty Shearwater bobbing around at the side of the boat and I couldn't even raise myself to grab a shot (see below). After a couple of hours the effects lessened slightly and I was able to rejoin the living. Just in time in fact to see my first Minke Whale, what a fantastic way to end the trip.
Anyway, in between passing in and out of consciousness I did in fact manage to grab a few shots.
The Fulmar, probably my favourite bird. To watch these amazing birds skimming majestically over the waves, at times just millimeters from the surface, is just awe-inspiring.
A rather pale looking Great Skua that had birders attention for a while.
This is the Sooty Shearwater that I couldn't drag myself off the deck for. Actually I did in the end manage to haul myself up but of course I'd left it too long and as soon as I'd raised my camera it took off. Still, this photo shows the impressive wingspan of the bird.
A Bonxie patrolling around the boat bullying the gulls.
A group of Common Terns including a few juveniles were around the boat for a time.
And thanks to Liz, the best eyes in the business, we spent a short but very exciting time chasing this Minke Whale.
The last we saw of it as it dived off in to the distance.
Only 3 weeks to go until the next trip, can't wait!
