Across the Tasman Sea

Seabirding from the comfortable open bow on deck 8 gives one a remarkably good view of the surrounding waters.  On our at-sea days of the cruise we tallied an impressive 37 species of tubenose.  Some, like Buller’s Shearwater, Cook’s Petrel, and Australasian Gannet were plentiful and seen on most days in the field.  Around New Zealand waters we found a few Cape Petrels as well as a nice selection of Albatrosses including Buller’s and Antipodean. Crossing the Tasman Sea twice allowed us to visit both the warm waters of the north, with their birds like Black-winged Kermadec and Tahiti Petrels, Red-footed Booby, and Blue-billed White Terns and slightly cooler waters with birds like Mottled and Parkinson’s Petrels and White-bellied Storm-Petrels.  One particular morning even brought us close-up views of a Fairy Prion that we found on the deck and then released!  As is often the case we encountered a few interesting cetaceans as well, like endangered Hector’s Dolphin and a breaching Blainville’s Beaked Whale. Being out at sea always brings a surprise or two, like an amazing Flying Squid that Fabrice managed to get a photo of as it sailed away from the bow.