Albatross

7.30 am start which meant getting up at 5.30 in order to get breakfast (always slow and deliberate in the van because of the size, space and limited power sources), pack up the bed (I know, I know.....I could just leave it but it's just something that I feel is important to start the day well) drive into the city, find a park and get to the meeting spot before 7.30.  All good - I'm always amazed at just how early I can get going in the mornings when I want/need to.  Anyway, made it in good time for the Monarch cruise which was to take us out of Otago Harbour beyond Taiaroa Heads to where the Albatrosses, mollymawks, sooty shearwaters, terns, black skuas hang out.  Wow, wow, wow!  It was distinctly cool but very calm in the harbour but it became much, much more rockier and rollier out past the heads.....only 1-2m swells but enough to make me begin to feel a little nauseous.  With about 20 keen photographers on board we could all appreciate the challenge of taking pictures of moving birds from a rocking boat!  The albatrosses (why do I always think of this and this.....) were utterly magnificent both in the air and bobbling about on the water.......such impressive birds and such crystal-clear water.  We even had the company of a wee Hector's dolphin on the way back though he didn't stay and play long enough to get any decent shots.  

Definitely a memorable day for all the right reasons :)