As we waited to depart a smart male Common Eider and a Razorbill were diving close to the ship. 

The moderate wind was south-westerly and the visibility good. Between Penzance and Wolf Rock we saw 123 Gannets, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 close Grey Phalarope, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 1 Great Skua, 4 Common Scoter and 30 auks mainly Razorbills.

After Wolf Rock bird numbers reduced, as is usually the case. 16 Gannets, 17 auks, along with another Grey Phalarope and a single Manx Shearwater. The Scillonian made 3 resting Great Skuas take off and show well their plumage details. The sea state 3-4 made it difficult but 3 Harbour Porpoise were briefly visible in a hollow in the waves. Nearing the Scillies an interestingly plumaged Pomarine Skua crossed ahead of us.

 The return trip was calmer and produced 41 gannets including 10 around a distant trawler with a probable Skua attending.

 2 Balearic Shearwaters were welcome, but they were only a very small fraction of the big numbers observed passing the south west the previous day. 2 Arctic and 1 Great Skua were seen heading south west. A single Manx Shearwater, the only Fulmar of the day, 4 auks and low numbers of Great Black-backed Gulls completed the list up to Wolf Rock.  

From Wolf we observed 1 Balearic and 6 Manx Shearwaters, 92 Gannets, the only 2 Kittiwakes of the trip, 7 auks and low numbers of black-backed gulls.

Pom Skua

 Only 1 Fulmar and no Kittiwakes were observed.