Tom J Tues 12 Feb

Criss-crossing swells and troughs,
A swerve a rising swoop to stall. . .
And dive for the line of the trough -
To a hand-brake turn
Kissing the lip of the crest.

Albie!

Phones and pads and cameras to the ready,
As it slithers and slides with perfectly curved wing -
Out of frame! -
Elegantly turns and dips out of sight
To slip quick along the trough of the fast moving swell . . .
Then lift again high for another dive.

If you can't tell by now we've been albatross watching as different varieties visit us during the course of the day. Though we have had some close approaches we cannot tell which of the various smaller albatross, the mollymawks, have paid a call with their stark white bodies and pure black wings. But we have identified royals, both adult and juvenile, distinguished by their much greater wingspan and the complex curve of those wings. In the morning we also had a visit from a southern giant petrel: also a impressive size, but an unfortunately ugly bird with an all dark, hunched body, mottled white head and inelegant nostril tubes along its beak.

The 1500 watch change saw great excitement as Vicky and Brendan strove to trip the distance to go to double figures for the first time. Success! With only a few seconds to go 99.9 came up to a general cheer.