I have received an exemption to post this notice of a possible extralimital pelagic trip.  Unfortunately, unlike voyages leaving from a certain harbor north of the Mason Dixon line, this one will not cross into Maryland waters.  But in any event, pelagic birds aren't very good at observing state boundaries.

Sherman 

Sherman Suter
Alexandria VA  22307  /  Port Republic MD 20676
ssuter  aaas   org 


*****

Birders, 
I'm working to organize a pelagic trip out of Virginia Beach in
September and am sending out this message to gauge whether there's
sufficient interest out there to do this at reasonable cost
(<$170/person, depending on final size of the group); for some
perspective, offshore sport fishing charters organized on the fly can
cost as much as $300 a head.
The trip would be on the Rudee Whaler with Captain Skip Feller 
http://rudeeinletcharters.com.dnnmax.com/TheBoats/tabid/99/Default.aspx 


for a full day out
to Norfolk Canyon and back, roughly from 6 am to 6 pm, to take place
Saturday September 12th with a Sunday weather date
(Sep 13).


We will have a number of seasoned seabirders on hand to help those with
less experienced offshore. Early September holds some interesting
pelagic possibilities, none guaranteed of course but among them
White-faced Storm-petrel, Sabine*s Gull, Long-tailed Jaeger, along
with more expected Cory*s and Audubon*s Shearwaters, Wilson*s
Storm-petrel, Bridled Tern, jaegers and phalaropes. This can be a good
time for shearwater flocks which can include Greater and Manx.

I've commited to the captain to make a go/no go decision by Friday June
12th. Please consider and if you're interested reply off-list to dshoch
AT hotmail.com to reserve a space. 

Hope we can get out there to see what's arcing over Norfolk Canyon this
September.
David Shoch 
Charlottesville, Virginia