We are delighted to offer yet another world first pelagic seabird expedition in search of some of the rarest seabirds by circumnavigating the Indian Ocean on an ocean-going yacht. This unique voyage has been designed by seabirders for keen seabirders and places are very limited indeed, early booking is essential!

 

The voyage is being offered in three different legs, the first is already waitlist only (but please contact us to go on the list if you are interested), the third sector only having a few places at time of going to press too. The vessel will be the 16 metre long, aluminium-hulled Convergence, skippered by Scott Laughlin, a former Captain of Australia’s icebreaker, the Aurora Australis. This superb yacht can carry only eight passengers in four shared cabins, and will feature a small library, TV/DVD, internet access and even a small spa. Provisioning will be of a high quality with the majority of meals pre-prepared and frozen. More importantly, the vessel is extremely flexible, her retractable keel will mean she can enter shallow bays and even be beached for landings. Participants do not need to know how to sail but will be expected to share at least watch duties (with one of the crew), galley duties etc. Participation helping out will not be compulsory but previous experience of these type of voyages, shows it greatly helps in bringing the onboard team together. In addition to Scott, there will be two more crew members plus a seabird and cetacean guide, currently to include Dr Phil Hansboro, who joined us on the inaugural Western Pacific Odyssey back in 2007.  Hire cars with fuel costs are also included on the islands time will be spent on (see itineraries).

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Leg 1 Broome – Christmas Island (Australia)

Departs 19^th – 26^th September 2010 8 days

This first leg will sail northwest from mainland Australia towards Christmas Island, home of a number of endemic sea and landbirds. We hope to see specialities such as Jouanin’s, Bulwer’s and Tahiti Petrels, Matsudaira’s, Swinhoe’s and Wilson’s Storm-petrels, Hutton’s, Streaked and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters plus Red-footed and Brown Boobies, Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds, Brown Noody and Bridled Tern. As we approach Christmas Island, we should see our first endemic Abbott’s Boobies, Christmas Island Frigatebird and the stunning Golden Morph White-tailed Tropicbird (Golden Bosun), surely the most beautiful seabird on the planet?  Cetaceans may include Australian Snubfin and Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins and much more.  On arrival at Christmas Island we shall spend a few days exploring this unique location which along with it’s special seabirds (plus Red-tailed Tropicbirds) holds a number of endemic landbirds including Christmas Island Hawk Owl, CI Goshawk, CI White-eye, CI Imperial Pigeon and Linchi Swiftlet and boasts world-class snorkelling and diving.

 

Leg 2 Christmas Island – Mauritius

Departs 3^rd – 30^th October 2010 28 days

We finally sail away from this natural history paradise westwards  towards Africa on the next exciting sector. Firstly we will head towards the Cocos-Keeling Islands give us more chances for Jouanin’s, Bulwer’s and Tahiti Petrels, Matsudaira’s and Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels. Masked Boobies and Lesser Frigatebird numbers will increase as we close in to this tropical atoll where Charles Darwin formed his theory of Atoll Formation. Again, the snorkelling is world class here and after a day ashore we will again head out into the Indian Ocean, this time towards the Mascarene Islands. In the days as we approach Rodrigues (an expected 14 day sail), new additions to our ever growing seabird list may include three more global megas, Mascarene, Round Island and Barau’s Petrels plus Sooty and White Terns and Audubon’s Shearwater.  A day and a half are planned ashore here, 50 species of bird occur including two endemics, Rodriques Brush-warbler and Rodriques Fody. We will then set sail for Reunion, concentrating again for the three mega petrels and other tubenoses.  We expect to reach this island in only three days and will spend two days ashore here. 91 species occur including four endemics, Reunion Cuckoo-shrike, Bulbul,  Stonechat and White-eye. Our last full day at sea will bring us to Mauritius and Round Island. 119 species occur here including eight endemics for which we will spend two days searching for. The endemics are Mauritius Kestrel, Parakeet, Cuckoo-shrike, Bulbul, White-eye, Fody and Pink Pigeon plus we will visit a number of seabird colonies.

 

Leg 3 Mauritius to Fremantle via Heard and McDonald Islands (Australia)

Departs 10^th November – 15^th December 2010 35 days

This final, longest sector is mainly designed for Australian birders but still two places are available at time of press. A full seven days is planned exploring Heard and MacDonald Islands, true sub-Antarctic islands registered as Australian territory. King, Macaroni (including a few Royals), Gentoo and Rockhopper Penguins breed, as do Black-browed, Light-mantled Sooty and probably Wandering Albatross too. Other breeding tubenoses include Southern Giant Petrel, Cape Petrel, Antarctic and Fulmar Prions, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, South Georgian and Common Diving Petrel. Antarctic Petrels are also often seen at this time of year.  These islands have an endemic breeder, Heard Shag plus Black-faced Sheathbill occurs. A large supporting cast of Southern Ocean seabirds can also be expected! This is a very rare opportunity to visit two of the most remote islands on Earth.

 

Please note these are pioneering pelagic voyages and the exact itinerary cannot be guaranteed due to weather, sea and local conditions at the time.

 

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Holiday information

 

Guides: Dr Phil Hansboro (Leg 1) and others t.b.a

Prices: Leg 1  £1899

            Leg 2  £5115

            Leg 3  £7695

Deposit: Leg 1 £350 Legs 2 & 3 £1000

Price includes: Voyage as booked aboard yacht in shared cabins, berthing fees, all meals and non-alcoholic drinks, services of crew and naturalist guide, car rental including fuel on applicable islands (Leg 1 also includes economy class flights from Perth to Broome on September 5^th)

Does not include: Flights to and from ports, custom fees, drinks and meals ashore, travel insurance, internet/e-mail usage and crew gratuities.

 

A colour PDF with more information is here or available from us.