Trip Report
Saturday 15 October 2004
Weather; mainly dull, some sun. Wind up to 40kts NW swell up to 2 meters
but mostly a short, sharp wind-driven chop making conditions uncomfortable
for much of day. No-one seasick though!
Weather; mainly dull, some sun. Wind up to 40knsNW well up to 2 meters
but mostly a short, sharp wind driven chop making conditions uncomfortable
for much of day. No-one seasick though!
2 PAX plus skipper Brett and guide Nigel Milius on Assassin departed
Sandspit at 8.10am for a pelagic tour of the Gulf. Beehive 8.40- 8.45
am, c. Mokohinaus 11.40am- 2.50pm (incl 30 mins ashore on Burgess Island).
Picked up Mike Imber, Brent Stephenson, Halema Jamieson and Chris Gaskin
who were staying on Burgess Island. After chumming close to islands 1-
2.20pm dropped three off then headed for Great Barrier Island to take
Halema to Port Fitzroy 4-4.40 pm; off Little Barrier Island 5.20- 5.40pm,
return Sandspit 7.30pm.
Gannet some groups of 20+ smaller groups/individuals common.
Red-billed, Black-backed Gulls and White-fronted Terns all common.
Flesh-footed Shearwater c.200 approaching Mokohinaus, a few on return
from GBI
Fluttering Shearwater small numbers (<20) on most legs.
Bullers Shearwater hundreds, everywhere.
Fairy Prion hundreds approaching Mokohinaus, a few elsewhere.
Common Diving Petrel c.50 approaching Mokohinaus, a few elsewhere.
White-faced Storm Petrel c.5 approaching Mokohinaus, c.10 whilst chumming,
10-15 on way home.
Grey-faced Petrel several whilst chumming (c.50?) Plus a few more later
in day (none in a.m.)
Sooty Shearwater 1 whilst chumming.
Cooks Petrel 100+ close to lbi, a few (c.10) "possibles" earlier
in day.
Little Penguin 2 near lbi.
Orca 2+ a few minutes after setting out (in Sandspit Harbour), 3 (incl
1 male) off LBI and at least 7 back in Sandspit Harbour on our return.
This last group were very curious, swimming upside down just under the
stern or spy-hopping. They included a distinctive male with flattened
top to dorsal fin and notch about quarter way up trailing edge.
Beehive Is; Caspian tern 1, Red-billed Gull c.10, Variable Oystercatcher
2, Shore Plover 1, NZ Dotterel 5.
Burgess Is: Pied Shag, Bellbird, Kingfisher, Red-crowned Parakeet, Welcome
Swallow, Tui, NZ Fantail. Also Moko Skink>
Around Port Fitzroy; Pied and Little Shags, Kingfisher, Variable Oystercatcher,
Red-billed Gull, Kaka, Pukeko, Bellbird.
Sandspit Harbour; Reef Heron.
--Nigel Milius
Pterodroma Pelagics - Hauraki Gulf Seabird Tours
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