So Cal Pelagic Birding
Pelagic Trips And Deep Water Expeditions

1.  Get a good night's sleep. 

2.  Consume little or no alcolhol the evening before a morning departure.

3.  Pack warm gear.  It can be very cold at sea, especially on a windy day under a heavy marine layer.  Don’t select your apparel based on the fact that the weatherman calls for “warm and sunny” in Escondido.  Often the weather at the Cortez Bank can be much different than that on land. 

Dress warmly, in layers, and bring extra clothing and raingear "just in case."  Wear shoes or boots with soft “sticky” soles for good traction on wet decks.  I always bring gloves, raingear (including rain pants), a warm wool cap and a sun hat with a cord attached to it so that when the wind blows it off my head (like, 10 times a day) I can reel it back rather than saying goodbye.  

There is no predicting what the weather will be like 100 miles out – it can be cold and windy in mid-summer, or a broiling, scorching 80 degrees in autumn.  Dress in layers.  As my cousin Emily says, "Better to have and not want, than to want and not have."

Cory's Shearwater  (c) Matt Sadowski

Binoculars!  Most people prefer 7 or 8 power binoculars while on a boat (I use 7x).  The higher the magnification, the more the movement of the boat distorts vision, but some swear by their 10X bins.  

Bring a camera or video gear so that you can help document the rarities we see. You have not lived until you’ve tried photographing a storm-petrel with a telephoto lens. 

Remember your favorite field guide, sunblock, lip protection and sunglasses. 

Bring your favorite non-greasy snacks.  Pretzels, saltines, bagels, wheat thins, gingersnaps or triscuits are favored by many to keep stomachs settled.  Grande is equipped with a full galley, and/or you may bring sandwiches and snacks aboard.  Searcher includes snacks and drinks as part of your ticket price (but I bring my own stash of ginger snaps). 

Don't bring telescopes, tripods, chairs or stools.  They are not allowed.  Umbrellas, ponchos or other billowy raingear are not allowed because they act as sails, flinging water on everybody around you. 

Tobacco.  Ah, tobacco. Here's the rule: it may be used only at the stern back rail and only if nobody complains. 

1.  Eat a filling but bland, non-spicy, non-greasy breakfast (see the seasickness side-panel). 

2.  Leave early.  Allow yourself plenty of time for traffic, to find parking, obtain your ticket, haul your gear from your car to the boat, present identification and pass security (yes, you now must have I.D. to board a boat in San Diego).   The captain will depart on time and will not make on-time passengers wait for a late one.   Arrive one hour prior to departure.  You’ll be glad you did. 

Cook's Petrel  (c) Todd McGrath

All trips depart on time, even in rain.  Weather rarely interferes with boats the size of Searcher and Grande and it can actually be quite productive for finding birds.  In other words, we most likely will sail even in rainy choppy seas.  We alter our course in heavy seas to make the trip as comfortable as possible for all passengers, which is why our itinerary is a flexible one.  And you know what?  When the winds are blowing, the shearwater and pterodroma petrels are REALLY flying. 

The very rare decision to cancel a trip due to weather will made one or two hours prior to departure, possibly the evening before the trip – never sooner.  If you have weather concerns for a Grande trip, call Point Loma Sportfishing between 6-9 PM the night before the trip at (619) 223-1627.  Weather concerns for a Searcher trip? Call Celia Condit at Searcher Natural History Tours (619) 226-2403 between 6-9 PM the night before the trip.  If any trip cancels due to weather, your entire trip fee will be refunded. 

AGE:  Day trips are appropriate for children 12 years and older.  Participants of the overnight trips must be 16 years or older.  5-day Searcher expeditions are handled by Celia Condit, owner of Searcher Natural History Tours, on a case by case basis when making your reservation with her. 

COURSE ALTERATIONS may be made for significant sightings like whales (we brake for mammals, indeed, we sometimes follow them!), feeding frenzies or other spectacular events than can only be seen at sea.  The captain is charged with the responsibility of our safety by watching the weather and the seas.  He and the leaders will use the radio to find out from fishing captains where the life zones currently are.  The leaders job is to find and get us on the birds.  Since weather, sea and current conditions change hour to hour, we cannot guarantee that we will absolutely be at any one area at a given time, if at all. 

Pelagic trips are ventures into the great unknown.  No sightings of any species can be guaranteed.  Many birds are seen only briefly or at a distance, and are missed by some participants or even trip leaders (it pays off BIG TIME to pay attention, stay alert, participate and call out birds). As Dave Povey says, "Seabirding is addictive because it's like prospecting for gold - you never know when you'll strike it rich."

The reason I became involved in chartering these trips is because I want to be at sea as often as possible seeing and learning these birds, and repetition is the key.  Pelagic birding is the ultimate challenge. That said, we have some of the best leaders in the country aboard these trips who are highly skilled at finding the birds and helping you see them.  You play a big part as well by constantly scanning the skies, calling out birds as you see them. 

Our leaders are selected not only for their knowledge, experience and skills, but also because they are friendly and approachable.   They will explain birds to you, identify birds you find, and explain field marks to look for.  They are out here without pay simply because they love to be at sea, sharing that knowledge with you, because the more of us there are who love seabirding, the more trips there will be for all of us to go to sea… see? 

So put our expert leaders to the test.  Let us know your target birds and we'll make a special effort to help you identify them if we detect them. 

Finally, pelagic trips can be physically tiring.  Seating is limited. If you have special needs please let us know in advance so we can accommodate you.

I look forward to seeing you aboard in 2008.

- Terry Hunefeld
   Life is short.
   Bird often.