From: Greg Gillson <guide at teleport.com>
Re: Oregon deep water pelagic

I have made arrangements with the charter for a pelagic
birding trip out to 1000 fathoms (about 55 miles offshore) on Saturday,
October 7, 1995. This trip has a very good chance to turn up a
rarity, such as Cook's or Mottled Petrel, or Xantus' Murrelet.

Even if such ultra-rarities do not show up, this should be a
smorgasbord of Oregon's pelagic birds. We can really expect to
see ALL of Oregon's regularly occurring seabirds, including Leach's
and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels, Long-tailed Jaegers, South Polar
Skuas, Short-tailed and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, and Laysan
Albatrosses, among all the more typical species.

The trip should last 12-13 hours, leaving about 4 AM and returning
about 4-5 PM. The trip will be straight out for 6 hours, chum for
an hour, then back in. We may swing by any commercial vessels
on the way back in, but do not have more time.

Also realize that Skuas and Pterodroma petrels do not usually
follow the boat, so the hour we spend chumming is for Storm-Petrels
and fun. The hunt for Pterodroma petrels is to scan for high-wheeling
white-bellied petrels, and try to make an ID. This we do on the
traveling part of the trip just as well as the chumming part.

Cost is complex: ABOUT $120 if only 15 people sign up; $75 for 25
people. There are currently already 12 people who have expressed
an interest.

The shelf is out about 50 miles. Straight west of Newport the depth
at 45 miles is 500 fathoms. Within 3 miles it drops to over 1000
fathoms (6000 feet, which is over a mile). There is a ravine here
which is my goal. I'd like to be there about 10 AM.

Cost is expensive both for the skipper's time (for 13 hours we may
be required to have TWO skippers). Plus we'll be at full-throttle
on the boat for 10 hours. This will guzzle diesel at an astonishing
rate.

This is now the official announcement of this trip, and you should
begin signing up for this trip immediately. I'll keep pricing
up-to-date as we get more people. Price will be firm by mid-
September. Unless there is a major change, the maximum price will
be $120, but I expect that it will go down at least below $100.


--
Greg Gillson <guide at teleport.com>


p. s. If successful, this trip will repeat in late April, with
the same expected birds and rarities (EXCEPT: Short-tailed and
Buller's Shearwater, and South Polar Skua are not expected
in spring).

p.p.s. For you Washington birders: This trip is from Newport, on
the central Oregon Coast. It is about 2-1/2 hours from Portland.
I'll be making up an information packet soon that I can e-mail.
The boat will hold 30 passengers (we had 27 passengers last month,
on an 8 hour trip, and it was not uncomfortable). so there's still
room for another 15 persons.

--
Greg Gillson <guide at teleport.com>