Page 64 - 2003 - Atlantic Islands

So now we just see the “ghosts” of these rookeries. The guano is always on the

leeward side because the birds would face into the wind and the guano would squirt

out the back of the bird.

A Brown Noddy or two has been found on the island this year leading to the hope

among the conservation workers that the feral cat extirpation will bring the seabirds

back to the mainland. Stedson is involved in the bird counts and he seemed quite

jubilant to have found a couple of these little birds nesting among the lava again.

Our ride back to the Orion was faster than the one to Georgetown because the wind

and waves were much less pronounced. We boarded the ship at the marina area at

the stern rather than the side gate so apparently, it was deemed safer that way.

However, the process provided a good dose of terror to Kay and Lois since it

appeared that the Able-bodied Seamen did not know the proper way to lash the

Zodiacs to the rising and falling ship. At one point, it appeared that the Zodiac would

float under the Orion at its high point and then come crashing down on the Zodiac

and all of us. We were shouting to them about how to loop the Zodiac ropes to give

more play for the waves to complete their actions. Somehow, nothing serious

occurred but we were glad to be back on board without incident. Most of us had

gotten a little more sun than we anticipated as well as much more mud.

The mudroom on the Orion is a very efficient and useful place even though we would

have suggested a location for it nearer to the on and off loading sites. As it is, the

Zodiac riders must walk through the Leda Lounge and down the carpeted staircases

to get there when the embarkation site is the Marina Deck on the rear of the ship.

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