
Today’s Friday Flashback is from 5th December 2016 and is entitled ‘Just A Seagull’. A funny little albatross story that still makes me chuckle every time I remind myself of it and an encounter I can still remember like yesterday.
Original Text: “I don’t necessarily know why, it might be my mariners blood, but the magnificence, grandeur and stories of albatrosses have been something that have amazed and held me in wonder since my childhood. I took this shot of a black footed albatross gliding across the tops of the waves a couple of years back whilst visiting the Hawaiian island of Maui. I was out on a whale watch boat and was just sat at the back of the boat, minding my own business and looking out to sea as we started our return leg back to harbour. I suddenly leapt up from my seat with camera in hand and headed for the stern of the boat and started shooting off frame after frame. Thinking I had spotted some spectacular whale action, a group of people quickly gathered around me and after a few moments I heard a lady turn to her friends and say “oh, it’s just a seagull!” Shocked, I moved back from my camera and asked the lady where she was from, “Iowa” came the reply. ‘I guess you don’t see many albatross in Iowa then?’ Was all I could say, in my astounded state”.