Scilly Pelagic no 7 - another Cory's fest

Another evening fishing trip, another BIG 3 performance and as we headed out south of St Marys from 4 miles in a 15mph south westerly... another Cory's Shearwater spectacular. The beauty of these pelagics is you don't actually know what you are going to see or how well! Here's some of the best images from the trip often in tricky light and not surprisingly, Cory's Shearwaters (estimated 40 seen) predominate!

Always nice to capture than in context with their environment despite the lack of big waves this eve!!

Approach, upper wing moments...

And really close fast fly-pasts!

Here's one of the 20 Great Shearwaters, emerging for take off after a plunge!

Sadly the lone Wilson's of the evening was too late for photography but to finish, here's Bella resting on my knee gazing intently at the pasty I'm eating! Could you resist?

More wind, a big sea in prospect for tomorrow! Can't wait...

Scillonian crossing

I've done this many times now but still get a buzz from the Scillonian (despite the hordes in August) and within minutes of leaving Penzance, a small group of Common Dolphin came alongside. Gannets aplenty off Porthgwarra and only one or two Manx Shearwaters! That was soon to change and for the first mile after Lands End, there were quite a few rafts of them and dozens shearing the waves... An estimate of 2,000 is probably conservative in the extreme?

Here's a few close passes as they sped past the boat...

You can't expect to get close to large Shearwaters, never mid seeing them! Just one Great Shearwater in the mid-distance!

But literally half a mile off St Marys, a Cory's Shearwater rounded the bow of the boat

Best view of one ever from the Scillonian!

The omens look good and there's a fishing trip evening Pelagic this evening...