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Scillonian III pelagics are now every second year, the next one is 8th August 2010
(details at end of article).
To whet your appetite here is a write-up of the 2008 trip. After much planning and preparation,
Scillonian III set sail from Penzance Quay at 05:00 on Sunday 10 August for a
special sailing, heading 40 miles South West of the Bishop Rock Lighthouse to the
'Wilson’s Triangle' for a day dedicated to bird watching at sea.
More than 200 passengers were booked on the Pelagic Trip with Scillonian III,
which until 2008 was an annual event. Both amateur and professional birdwatchers from
across the UK and Europe made the early start on Sunday morning to take part
in the trip, which is the only organised trip in Europe on a ship of this size that is wholly dedicated to bird and wildlife watching at sea.
With great vantage points from the top deck of Scillonian III keen naturalists
were in for a treat as they headed out to sea. Not far from Penzance the
initial sightings were recorded. First to make an appearance were a number of
Manx Shearwaters and a Cory’s Shearwater followed by a few Storm Petrels.
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As Scillonian III sailed past Wolf Rock Lighthouse
another Cory’s Shearwater was recorded, along with a sighting of the jewel in
the crown for bird watchers, a Wilson’s Petrel.
Throughout the course of the day 17 different bird species were spotted and
more than 3,000 bird sightings were recorded in total. Creatures from the deep
were also in abundance during the trip with sunfish, dolphins and porpoises
all making an appearance.
Vivian Stratton has been involved with the trip for many years and was
delighted with the number of sightings recorded, he said: “The Pelagic Trip
with Scillonian III has been a great success. We’ve sighted a wide range of
species and in great numbers too, everyone got a chance to take in the wonder
of nature as the birds flocked around the boat.” |
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In order to attract birds to the boat, a concoction of
fish offal, which is the residue from the filleting process, provided by local
fish suppliers, and ‘chum’ is thrown overboard by eight ‘Chummers’ who take up
positions at the stern of the boat. The fish offal is used throughout the
Pelagic Trip to attract a wide range of birds towards the boat.
As Scillonian III reached her pre-determined co-ordinates, about 40 miles
South West of the Bishop Rock Lighthouse at Wilson’s Triangle, the ‘Chummers’
off loaded two drums of chum.
“The ‘chumming’ provided an extensive slick which brought in more than 400
Storm Petrels” said Vivien, “This is a huge number, they were like locusts off
the stern of the ship, one of the most dense groups that I have ever observed
in British waters”
“We also had 2 Great Shearwaters, eventually joined by a third bird, while
Great Skuas bullied their way in between the Fulmars and Gannets, eventually
joined by an Arctic Skua.
“We spent 2 hours here enjoying this sea-bird spectacle, with Storm Petrels,
Gannets, Fulmars, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Great Skuas, Arctic Skua and
Great Shearwaters, all in a mass foray for food, thrown out by the chummers. A
Grey Phalarope also flew by as well as a small flock of Sanderling on their
migration to Africa.”
After more than 10 hours at sea the ship returned to Penzance at 19:00 having
sighted in excess of 3,000 birds and proving to be a huge success with the
bird watchers on board.
If you are interested in future Pelagic Trips sign up for the e-newsletter on
www.ios-travel.co.uk
for updates of special offers and details of the next trip when announced. |
