I thought it was only fitting to adorn the title of today’s post with the icon of the month! My heart was warmed by scores of alcids today! I stuck with pretty much the layer formula that works for me:

• Eddie Bauer duffel coat (below the knee 650 down parka)
• Faux fur hat with ear flaps and chin strap
• Cape May whale watch & research center buff (represent!)
• Down knee-length vest
• Heaviest smart wool base layer
• Outdoor fleece-lined leggings (Avalanche)
• Arctic muck boots
• Weather-proof gloves
• Hand warmers
• Costa sunglasses

This time I tried my heated socks, but the battery on one of them is faulty, and the other didn’t last the whole day. So, I’m going back to my Comrad wool compression socks; they did the job last time so I shouldn’t have veered. Also, I’m going to look for cold weather convertible mitten gloves next time.

As I psych myself up for yet another pelagic season in the north Atlantic, I review this month’s “nearby” skua sightings. On Valentine’s Day 1991, be still my heart: it appears a record from shore at Manasquan inlet NJ (among others that year) was accepted to genus level. Other encouraging records:

• Feb 6 2016: pelagic out of Cape May
• Feb 19 1995: This was a day trip that left from Cape May and encountered a great skua at 19 fathom seamount off DE I’m curious about what appears to be a very early departure time. I wonder if we could swing or would consider that for our current trips, and of course what difference it makes?
• Feb 26 1995: This was another day trip that appears to have gone out of MD, but for what it’s worth (if anything) we sometimes eek into MD waters
• various records before my time at the MD pelagic general hot spot: the most enticing details here are the number of birds recorded on trips in the 70’s!
  • Valentine’s Day 1982
  • Feb 1 1976
  • Feb 9 1975
  • Feb 7 1975
  • Feb 2 1975
  • Feb 1 1975: a total of *9* birds are reported 67-111 km E of Ocean City
  • Feb 3 1974

So yet again, I budget for a ticket and get my seasickness medication in order to plan for more days at sea…