What it is like and how it lives
Cory’s shearwater is an ash-grey seabird, with long, narrow wings. It is built to fly over the sea for hours, using the wind to glide with barely a beat of its wings.
It spends almost its whole life on the open ocean. It comes near land only to breed, and it does so in the Canary Islands. It nests in caves and crevices on the coast, where it raises its chick before returning to the sea.
It feeds on fish and other animals it catches near the surface. You will see it gliding just above the water, following the swell with an elegance that captivates.
When you experience it on board
It is often seen gliding just above the water during our outings. It frequently appears alone or in small groups, passing close to the sailboat as it searches for food.
Its flight is one of the small pleasures of sailing the Teno-Rasca Marine Strip. It makes no noise and does not draw attention, but anyone who watches it for a while is won over by how it masters the wind.
As with all wildlife, we watch it without disturbing it. It is part of the living landscape of the sea, and respecting it is part of enjoying the outing.
The voice that inspired legends
By day the shearwater is discreet. By night it changes. Its calls sound like wails, almost like human voices in the dark.
It is said that this strange song, heard from the sea at night, may have fed the legend of the mermaids. Sailors of old heard those sounds without seeing the bird, and their imagination did the rest.
True or not, the story adds mystery to an already fascinating animal. Each time a shearwater passes by the boat, it carries with it a piece of those old sea tales. Watching it glide in silence, without disturbing it, is a simple way to connect with that seafaring past these waters still hold.
