The ‘Atlantic Odyssey’ is the annual repositioning trip of the Professor Molchanov, a small Expedition Cruise ship that spends the austral summer in Antarctic waters and the northern summer in the Arctic. For enthusiasts of seabirds, cetaceans, islands, and photography, the voyage from Ushuaia in Argentina south to the Antarctic Peninsula, and thence north to Cape Verde via South Georgia, the Tristan da Cunha group, St Helena, and Ascension Island provides a superb opportunity to view marine life across 70 degrees of latitude. On the morning of 11 March 2008, we were heading south on our second day in the Drake Passage, with a moderate northwest wind, two-metre swell, high thin overcast skies, and excellent visibility. At 11.20 hours (ship’s time, position 60o17’S 69o44’W) we were observing from the sun deck above the bridge when a medium-sized petrel flew close across the bow from east to west. Similar sized seabirds seen that morning were Cape Petrel Daption capense, Antarctic Prion Pachyptila desolata, Thin-billed Prion P. belcheri, and Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis.

Curtis, W. J. 1995. Mottled Petrel Pterodroma inexpectata near the Falkland Islands. Sea Swallow 44: 63–64.

Jaramillo, A., Burke, P. & Beadle, D. 2003. Field Guide to the Birds of Chile, including the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Christopher Helm, London.

Meltofte, H. & Horneman, C. 1995. Mottled Petrel Pterodroma inexpectata off Tierra del Fuego. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club 115: 71–72.

Onley, D. & Schofield, P. 2007. Field Guide to the Albatrosses, Petrels and Shearwaters of the World. Christopher Helm, London.

Shirihai, H. 2007. A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife. The Birds and Marine Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean. 2nd edition. A. & C. Black, London.