So the alarm was set for Midnight yesterday and I picked my birding buddy up from Port Talbot at 01:00:eek!: We purposely set off early due to school holiday traffic on the M5. As it happened, we parked up at the main car park in the harbour at 04:30.
There are public toilets here but at that time they were locked. There are several supermarkets on the drive in though. The boat did have a toilet up front but, in the swell that we experienced, I think it could get "interesting".
The train station and bus station appeared very close to the harbour so, as long the times fitted in, the trip could be accessed via public transport.
I'd guess about 20 or so people were on the trip and it was very comfortable with this amount. The boat isn't huge and if I had one complaint, it was that by sitting at the back, over the engine, I couldn't hear a thing the guide was saying. It really could do with a tannoy system. I could see speakers so maybe they were temporarily not working.
Everybody met just along Quay Road toward the Ferry Terminal.
The Guide himself (sorry, can't remember his name) had outstanding ID skills. I was told that he'd completed some of the illustrations on the Seabirds of the North Atlantic book.
The atmosphere on the boat was great. Anything seen was quickly shouted out for all to try to get onto. We were sat by a very decent fella from Maidenhead who again, had superb ID skills. Great when it's your first Pelagic. Hope you enjoy the rest of your "family" holiday. :-O
The trip takes you a few miles off the end of Lands End and if yesterday is the norm, there's quite a big swell there. Important to know if you suffer from seasickness. 4 or 5 of our group had their heads over the sides and looked pretty green on the return journey. Fortunately, Kev and myself were fine and tucked into some Scotch Eggs:eat:
The birds themselves were great. I'm not sure if regulars thought it was a little slow but I was well impressed. By slow I mean there were periods of high activity followed by some not very long (in my view) lulls.
Plenty of Gannets and Shags were seen on the way out with a few seeing a juvenile Little Gull. The journey on the way out produced a real highlight of several Cory Shearwaters coming into view. 12 were seen by the end of the trip. Fulmars also skimmed the surface around the boat. This has to be one of my favourite sights when out birding:t: Quite a few Manxies were around as well.
Although we'd seen a few on the journey out, when the boat started chumming, the Storm Petrels really started to arrive. No idea on figures but into the 10's. In amongst them were 4 Wilsons Storm Petrels. A real joy to watch - pattering their feet on the surface of the water. Initially, they reminded me of Butterflies in how they flew but the more I watched them, the more I thought they reminded me of bats. Perhaps the Scotch Egg had spent too much time in the car?:smoke:
Also at this time a juvenile Arctic Tern appeared and a couple of Bonxies harassed the local Gulls.
Also seen on the journey were several Common Dolphins, a few Sooty Shearwaters and a few Balearic Shearwaters.
In my book it was a cracking journey and well worth the £55. Just make sure you pack your sea legs:-O
Rich