Voyage from Liverpool to Boston - Off South coast of Ireland.
1911.
August 2
(No 5)
[August 2, 1911]

Remarkable flight of Herring Gulls.

of them go considerably more than a mile without either flapping
or losing headway or changing their uniformly maintained elevation above
the ocean. Moreover we both arrived rather quickly at the definite
conclusion that the wind furnished their chief if not only means
of propulsion although for a time we were quite at a loss to
conjecture how it could so act. For they were heading within
four points of it (our sailor man agreed to this estimate) or about
as close as a good schooner will lie when close-hauled, yet
they made no appreciable leeway. After Mr. Allen had gone
below there was a change either in the wind or in the course
of our steamer so that for half an hour or more the wind
was almost dead ahead. Yet the Gulls glided on and on
nearly as before although they rose a little higher & dropped
a little further astern still, however, keeping up with the
ship without visible effort. They were now heading, I should
say, within one point of the wind yet sailing into it