I have just returned from my first adventure at sea for 2010. I must say, even though the weather and fishing was poor, I managed to see my favourite albatross of all – the GREAT ocean roamer: the wandering albatross!
It was a stunning, very snowy-white adult that really enjoyed circling close to the vessel and landing very near to the stern from where I was conducting my observations. It did not appear to be eating that much of the discarded fish and just seemed to be curious!
On one occasion, toward the end of setting the nets, this beautiful bird landed about 10 metres from the boat as one of the deckhands arrived to put out the tori line. I eagerly showed him this giant bird as he began to throw the tori line over the side of the vessel. I told him some interesting facts and watched his face light up with excitement and interest!
At this point, we both looked down to find that the tori line he had been setting, while watching the albatross, had become wrapped around the trawl warp! He was so enthralled in watching and learning about this rare bird that he managed to get the very object protecting the birds entangled!
This was quickly righted and the rest of the afternoon was spent watching this majestic bird soaring on the wind in the wide open ocean.