To be kind, the last 3 days since
leaving Funchal, Madeira have been by and large barren with little in the way
of wildlife and even less shipping. The weather has steadily improved during
the passage with some bright and sunny periods, more prolonged as we have
progressed, an almost continuous 15knots wind (direction variable) and light to
moderate swell.
Mooring ropes were slipped at
18:00 precisely on Saturday afternoon and having Dropped the Pilot (Joan
Armatrading) the Captain set course for our next destination which was
calculated to take 6 full days. No knowing what we might encounter crossing the
Atlantic, the keener members of the wildlife brigade had binoculars pressed
against eye-sockets during most hours of daylight.
Saying farewell to Funchal.
It was a full 6 hours before the
first bird was detected and only watched for a matter of minutes before what
was considered a ‘Storm Petrel’ Sp (species) disappeared from view. That far
out there was only the likelihood of it being European, Wilson’s, Leaches or
Madeiran but with these tiny sea birds, about the size of the Common Starling, much
more detail was needed. The next wait was less long, as within the hour I
spotted a pod of 4 to 6 Pilot Whales close on the starboard quarter, albeit
briefly, but as a Single Observer Sighting you know what that can lead to?
There had been sporadic reports of ‘Whales’ from elsewhere during the day, most
amusingly from the Choir practise area as one vocalist broke off and yelled
“Whale” sending the whole group scurrying for the windows. Finally, what was
the ‘miss of the day’ as the ships Carpenter found another ‘Storm Petrel’
resting under a rack of inflatable life rafts which he was able to catch. Not
knowing the enormity of the find to some of us, he simply took it to the
quarter deck, where most of the birders were standing, and released it. One lady
did have the sense to shout ‘Bird’ as it took to the air allowing me at least
time to zip off a few shots in the general direction for later analysis.
Other
than that, there was one more bird that could have been a juvenile Gannet or
one of the larger Shearwaters for that matter but so far away as to be of no
consequence.
Monday dawned with the navigation
lights of a large Freighter disappearing into the east, followed by a period of
8 hours of ‘empty ocean’ – need I say more? Talking of ‘more’, that is precisely
what we got the next day with the odd cry of “Whale” which came to nought and
the odd item of flotsam.
Tuesday was almost a carbon copy,
except just before ‘close of play’ a small white bird was spotted following our
wake at a distance. This turned out to be a most unexpected ‘first winter’
BLACK-HEADED GULL which, I for one, didn’t realise ventured this far out into
the open ocean.
Other
than that we have a camera team on board, along with these 2 models
preparing a new promotional magazine for Voyages of Discovery.
and
we end with a 'Tasty Break' as ERIC the HEAD WAITER shows off what is
only the food for afternoon tea! More of that if and when I have the
time.
