Edward
Umimmak
Now that July is upon us, a few of us have decided to organise the first Icelandic pelagic. It's a bit of a disgrace that a a great seafaring nation like Iceland has never had a proper birding trip at sea with chum and all and we aim to rectify the situation in mid-August. We suspect the waters south of Iceland may have great potential, especially from the island chain Vestmannaeyjar which has the WP's largest Leach's Petrel colony (but this is still a bird which is almost never seen from land). The problem is that as we've never done it before we need some tips especially regarding stuff like chum. We know we need a boat (check), and the sea (check) but apart from that..... We aim to be out all day, or until we find that Audubon's Shearwater...
I've found a few recipes for chum on the net but how much of this stuff do people use? A bucket full, several buckets full, gallons and gallons?
DMS? Is it worthwhile? I've read that it's pretty noxious stuff so is it a good idea to be chucking it into the sea? How much do you use - a few drops in the chum or just pour it in?
What do you do with the chum? Drag it behind the boat in a mesh? Or stop the boat chuck it out and wait (I can foresee great bouts of seasickness already)?
Is it good to use popcorn to make the stuff float? Or bread?
All tips from pelagic veterans most gratefully received.
E
(in very sunny Reykjavík)
I've found a few recipes for chum on the net but how much of this stuff do people use? A bucket full, several buckets full, gallons and gallons?
DMS? Is it worthwhile? I've read that it's pretty noxious stuff so is it a good idea to be chucking it into the sea? How much do you use - a few drops in the chum or just pour it in?
What do you do with the chum? Drag it behind the boat in a mesh? Or stop the boat chuck it out and wait (I can foresee great bouts of seasickness already)?
Is it good to use popcorn to make the stuff float? Or bread?
All tips from pelagic veterans most gratefully received.
E
(in very sunny Reykjavík)