Day 7 – Close-quarter & long-distance counts

Again misty conditions but although the roll of the Evohe appears minor we can make out massive swells swoosh around the base of Proclamation Island. First attempt of a group landing around 9.30am as fog starts to lift aborted because of the ‘scary’ lift at the island. Dinghy skipper Murray reckons it can be done but it won’t be easy. Decide to wait another couple of hours.

Next attempt by James, Richie, Jeff and Robin more successful but slow as the dinghy has to time people and gear drop-off between series of huge swells. After dinghy returns to Evohe, Thomas and Dave hop in with Steve Kafka and mate Simon to check out potential landing spots on Depot. Idea is to fly the Centre Group drone missions from there as team will be about 300 m closer to Funnel than on Proclamation. But low tide and exposed bull kelp make that prospect less appealing to Thomas and Dave. Western slopes of Depot appear crowded with albatross, penguins and seals. Penguin and Ranfurly Islands Shelter these slopes from southwest storms. But not enough so to convince the team to jump ashore in the heaving conditions – especially without an emergency gear should they get stuck on the island. Back through the Spider channel and around to the Proclamation landing where a somewhat nerve wrecking landing was achieved.

Up top, Robin and Jeff are finishing up the penguin ground counts resulting in a total of 2,776 Erect-crested penguin nests on Proclamation Island. After discussion with Richie, Thomas decides to fly drone missions to Funnel Island from Proclamation – across a stretch of 1.5 km of open water. Thomas has never flown such far ranging missions so is very apprehensive but gives it a whirl. First attempt gets the drone into the mission area after a 5 minute flight, but mission settings incorrect with drone surveying the island and too great altitude. Drone recalled and returns safely after 15 minutes. The crossings to Funnel cost about 20% of battery power. Between 1 pm and 3pm combined missions of Funnel and Prion Islands, as well as single missions for Corner and Castle Island are successfully completed – much to Thomas’s relief. The Centre Island Group is in the bag!

As light conditions are perfect – flat light with no shadows, decision is made to re-do Depot Island with the drone. By 3pm rest of the team (minus Bianca, Jeff accidentally put on her wet weather gear leaving her only his several sizes smaller stuff) plus Ros and Murray arrive at the top Plateau. Klemens, Jeff and Robin get on with finishing blood sampling while Hannah searches for albatrosses with GLS tags.

Finds two birds of which one disappears while the first unit is recovered. Thomas and Dave install last trail camera facing Depot Island. Thomas then checks all installed cameras for correct settings and downloads first image data sets.

Meanwhile rest of the team pack up and return to Evohe. Richie and James conduct filmed interview with Thomas for Drone Deploy sponsorship as well as a final RNZ interview before the last three on the island make their way down to the landing, removing all guide lines en route. Richie last to hop off the island. Back on the Evohe by 7.30pm.