At Sea
After many days of excursions, it was nice to have a day at sea. A gentle swell and following seas pushed us along as we traveled up the East Coast of the North Island. Seabirds surrounded the ship all day, with many species of tubenoses passing by. Ranging from the tiny Common Diving-Petrel up to the massive Royal Albatross, bird enthusiasts certainly enjoyed the views. As the day progressed, we entered warmer waters and new marine species for the trip were seen. A mola mola, or ocean sunfish was spotted off the bow. A few pods of Short-beaked Common Dolphins came over to the ship, eager to play on our bow and go for a surf. A few fish boils were observed, as well as young flying fish, some barely a couple of inches long.
For most of us, it was a day to relax and catch up. Whether it was on sleep, or photo editing, or possibly emails and world news, we made up a bit for all the neglect from the many days of previous exploring. We learned about photography, birds, and history, but mostly just enjoyed sailing north towards our destination in Napier tomorrow and new experiences.
