Hi Texbirders and
Pelagic Fanatics;
Here is an update on
the 6 Texas Pelagics trips for 2015.
Sign-ups have been brisk and we are already 40% filled for the 2015
trips with just less than two weeks into registration. Our most popular trips
are already over 50%
full.
It really helps us
and everyone else involved with Texas Pelagics, including those who've already
signed up, with planning and outreach if people sign-up early . So we now have
some new incentives for
Pelagic birders to sign-up early and to sign-up for multiple trips. If you've
already signed up you'll get the
same good deal.
We are offering
discounts to anyone who signs up early
and pays more than three months in advance of a departure date. The
Early Bird Fare will be $150 for the 12 hour trips and $185 for the 16 hour
trips.
The later fares will be $165 for the 12 hour trips and $200 for the 16 hour
trips. This will not apply to the June
13th Trip since June is already less then 3 months away. And for the July trip
the early registration deadline is 2 months prior to the trip. The new fares
and Early Bird Fare deadlines are outlined below. For more information see:
http://texaspelagics.com/2015-schedule/
TRIP DATE; Duration;
Early Bird Fare ; Early Bird Cutoff Date ; Regular Fare
1. Saturday, June
13, 2015; 12 hrs ; $150.00: NA; $150.00:
2. Saturday, July
11, 2015; 16 hrs ; $185.00 ; 5/11/15 ; $200.00
3. Saturday, August
08, 2015 ; 12 hrs ; $150.00 ; 5/08/15 ; $165.00
4. Saturday, August
29, 2015 ; 16 hrs ; $185.00 ; 5/29/15 ; $200.00
5. Saturday, Sept
19, 2015 ; 12 hrs ; $150.00 ; 6/19/15 ; $165.00
6. Saturday, Oct 10, 2015 ; 12 hrs ; $150.00 ; 7/15/15 ; $165.00
And to encourage
people to take multiple trips we are offering rebates at the end of the season
to people who have been on multiple trips during the season. They can either
have a credit for
next year or we'll mail them a check.
Completed Trips - Rebates:
Two Trips - $ 25.00
Three Trips - $
50.00
Four Trips - $ 75.00
Five Trips - $
150.00
I've had a number of
questions about the 16 hour trips so I don't think I have adequately explained
the reason for the two longer trips we are scheduling this year. Just beyond
the reach of our relatively slow
(15 knot) boats within the 12 hour time frame we've been working with on Texas
Pelagics for the past 14 years from South Padre Island there is a huge seamount
called the Camel's Head. The Camels head rises from great depths of over 4,000
ft to about 2,000' in just a few miles.
I've always wondered
what could lurk out there that we don't know about. The Camel's Head is a
well-known tuna fishing area, which to me means there must be seabirds out
there too. And if it attracts tuna, then surely whale sharks are present and
probably marine mammals as well. We've seen Sperm Whales closer in than the
Camel's Head so my guess is that they would be more common on such a prominent
feature on the seafloor.
So the objective of
the 16 hour trips is too make it out to the Camel's Head about 76 miles
offshore into much deeper water than we have ever run Texas Pelagics
previously. These trips should also
yield about 8 hours in Pelagic waters twice as long as our standard 12 hour
trips. This is a bit of an experiment to explore so far offshore. But if you
have the stomach for a real exploratory birding adventure then this is surely
it. I hope you will consider joining us. We are running these
trips in time frames where we have the greatest probability for calm seas, but
of course that is no guarantee.
The Osprey boat on
South Padre Island has been completely renovated with new seating arrangements
and other nice amenities. There is now passenger seating on the upper rear
deck. It should make our Pelagic trips much more comfortable and
provide a better experience for everyone. A few pictures of the renovations can
be found here:
http://texaspelagics.com/about/newly-renovated-osprey/
I hope you'll join
us for what promises to be an excellent season on the Gulf of Mexico, Offshore
Texas.
Good Seabirding,
Gary Hodne
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