2 June 2012 - pelagic off Tanjung Dawai

2 June 2012 - pelagic off Tanjung Dawai

I woke up on 4.30 in the morning and took all thing I had packed earlier and ride my bike to the small fishing town of Tanjung Dawai to join the fishing boat out to the sea.
As I arrived at the anchovy boat jetty, one of the crew allow me to park my motorbike inside the jetty building. Boarding the boat on 6.50, after a few chat and a good breakfast, the boat left the port at 7.00. Most of the crew expecting early return because the weather forecast expecting a thunderstorm today as the wind blown strong from north-west direction.
Most of the crews were not present today, most of them had wedding to attend, those included the captain, Haji Anuar and our 'bird guide' - Baharom, reducing the crew number from 30 to 20

View of the sunrise behind the Tanjung Dawai mosque

The sea was not so friendly today - the roughest trip I'd ever encounter in Tanjung Dawai, honestly it is not so choppy as Mersing/Seribuat archipelago sea, however it turn my head dizzy in first four hour of the voyage.

The pole - this is the point when you exit the estuary and enter the sea. This flocks of Common tern are the first bird seen today.

The wind and wave level rising up as the boat move to the middle of the sea - The captain in charge told me that this condition is common in June, he also expecting a storm today.

The first net was set up at 0910 - the catch is not so good as well as birds seen.

Fast ferry to Langkawi island from Penang - two trip daily

The fishing vessel move toward north-west direction, toward Pulau Payar as the first catch is not so motivating. As we move, the weather become more friendly to us and the number of bird seen decrease dramatically. Suddenly - (I don't know how I felt asleep, luckily all my gear secured in my bag) somebody scream 'Itik Ayer' (Shearwater) and I woke to join the crew and realise I'm not joining the person who shouting - so no shearwater today.

No more than 5 minutes the boat stop and the buzzer call - this time the captain had to wait for more than 10 minutes for the crews to get in action - I realize, not only me sleeping around, The time was 1255 - freaking hot with wind dying out.

Bridled Tern is the most seen species today

The Common Tern come in as the second most seen birds

The main attractant (in term of terns) today are 2 juvenile Sooty Tern - This large Onichoprion tern has a unique call of 'kerrk-kwerrk-kwarrk' 

The second catch is much better compare to the first catch. The crew are really motivated, after the catch they sing and eat their lunch happily and ready to go for the next catch.

Better second catch

After the second catch the boat move on, now Pulau Payar is clear in front of us, with the help of sonar system and few round of patrol, the buzz calling the crew for the third time of the day at 1600. With no time to waste, all the crews are well prepared this time to cast the net. The bird number and fish caught improved for the second time of the day.

Terns feeding close to the net - 2 Arctic Skua were seen far, try to marauding tern that stray far from the boat.

Juvenile Sooty Tern

Adult Common Tern

The catch is getting better, can u tell?

Better catch mean more scrap to be thrown out from the boat. Theorically, this will attract more boat and after 5 minutes left the fishing spot, I notice two swift-sized boat flying behind the boat in which behaviour I haven't seen in any swift. I observe the bird extend the leg and began to dancing on the sea water. I shout in my heart, 'Petrels'. I get my bins try to get the tail view - fish-tail shape, no white rump, thus considering that was my first Swinhoe's Storm Petrel and my first Petrel in Tanjung Dawai. 

Last but not least, my first turtle sighting in Tanjung Dawai and it is an Olive-Ridley Turtle.

We arriving Tanjung Dawai jetty at 1945, which me and all the crews were full of spirit. Hence, I still had a 60 km motorbike ride to my home, realizing I'm really enjoy my trip today.

Pelagic off Tanjung Dawai 10/5/2012 - luck of a dead cobra

Ironically...it happen this happen this morning when I suppose to join Dave Bakewell (http://digdeep1962.blogspot.com/) to a pelagic outing onto anchovy boat in Tanjung Dawai. That morning I went to my usual grocery shop to get my stuff I need on our trip. On my way to Seberang Jaya mosque, I saw something scaly and bloody on the road.

It is a snake hit by a vehicle, pity

It turn out to be a Cobra - I bet this small cobra had been hit by a motorbike, but somehow it manage to slither to the roadside and die here, I'm planning to take the head but someone waiting for me. Better hurry, so after I move the dead snake body - I continue riding my motorbike to the promised location.

In the middle of my ride, my phone ringing and I know I had to hurry and I manage to arrive on 0503 at the mosque. In Dave car's we went to Tanjung Dawai.

The fishing boat with two loving dolphin greet us as usual - while we boarding the new boat...

View of the new boat front deck from the captain's room - this vessel had 4 storeys with the length of 120 feet, the largest anchovy boat in Tanjung Dawai.

With the great vessel come the great crew - those band of old boys and some of them is the important crews

 for this vessel.

This is PokYa from Besut, Terengganu, he is the vice-captain and net supervisor of the vessel.

Our trip began as all the vessel crew especially those band of old boys assemble on the boat. We leave Tanjung Dawai at 0655 in the morning.

Behind us - Gunung Jerai look foggy, Sungai Merbok look dark

Well, weather look promising as the sky show some 'overcast' character - but you'll never know what out there.

We were greeted by some swift, egret and heron action before we leave the estuary of Sungai Merbok entering the Kedah water.

First few terns moving north - most of the birds cocsist of Bridled Tern

The boat captain make a call and Mr Harom, ready to launch the net for the day first catch

The net that had been launched - two crew will make a drumming sound in front of the boat to create panic to the fish do that they won't move down.

Attracted to the activities, terns gather near the net to feed on the fish - Bridled Tern make up the biggest proportion of tern in Tanjung Dawai today

Lesser Crested Tern - Not so common during this time of year in Tanjung Dawai

This bird look elegant - the orange bill with black-capped

Comparison between Lesser-crested Tern and Common Tern, the number of Common Tern today decreases slightly where no more than 10 individuals seen

A Skua try to approach the boat - but leave as soon as it get the food from the tern

It turn out to be a Long-tail Skua/Jaeger - They are still numerous compared to last week and other Skua/Jaeger in Malaysian water.

Today is the first time I seen all three Skua/Jaeger species in Tanjung Dawai - although had seen that in Mersing, my opinion is Mersing is a better places for Skua/Jaeger compare to Tanjung Dawai.

The main attractor bird in Tanjong Dawai is the Short-tailed Shearwater, which whenever it fly past the boat some of the crew will shout to us - offering a better chance to take picture of this tubenose.

It fly very close to the sea surface - thus the less choppy condition of sea would offer a better chances to observe this magnificent bird.

On the second net launch, the shearwater come close and sit on the water within the net's buoy ring - offering good opportunity to observed this bird closely

It dip it's head into the water - peeping for fish to feed on or shy?

...And Short-tail Shearwater performing this at least 6 round during the second net launch.

After the second catch, the captain decide to go back as the catch was not so good today. However, since some of the crew claim that Sunday and Monday are the best day to observe sea bird, I decide I will come back for the pelagic trip this Sunday - Still hoping for any first record. Anyway the sighting of shearwater and all 3 Skua species please me for this trip and a bonus:

A mixed school of Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin and Humpback Dolphin to make up a good day.

The final count of the day are:

Bridled Tern 450

Common Tern 8

Lesser Crested Tern 2

White-winged Tern 2

Sooty Tern 1

Long Tail Skua 6

Pomarine Skua 1

Arctic Skua 1

Short-tailed Shearwater 6

Bottlenose Dolphin 4

Humpback Dolphin 2