This isn't going to be a typical Canary Islands trip report, and I did wonder whether to do it all. However I figured that some BF users might go on cruises and hopefully it will be of use to some of you. I will add to it in bits over the next few days.
The itinery was:
Day 1 and 2 - depart Malaga and at sea
Day 3 - La Palma
Day 4 - Tenerife
Day 5 - Gran Canaria
Day 6 - Lanzarote
Day 7 - at sea
Day 1 - departing Malaga
The boat wasn't ready so we got a free tour of Malaga and the surrounding area. No major bird highlights, several Black Swans on a lake with a Mute Swan were a real surprise but presumably were clipped.
We set off from Malaga early evening and Gannets and Cory's Shearwaters were soon much in evidence. A couple of Yelkouan Shearwaters were rather more than I could have hoped for. Similarly it was a real bonus that large numbers of Common Dolphins were seen, well over 100 in all, and I was able to show my cetacean mad daughter her first wild dolphins which was really rewarding.
Day 2 - at sea, off Morocco
Whilst I wasn 't watching all day I had quite high hopes for seabirds on this full day at sea, and was to be disappointed. At first light there were three Gannets, and during other stints a couple of Cory's Shearwaters were seen, and that was it. Five birds in several hours of effort. It is rare that you can say you have seen more whales than birds in a day in the field, but I had that honour with a group of six animals that were presumably Cuvier's Beaked Whales went past the boat at close range.
With hindsight it appears the course the boat had taken was too far offshore to deliver. Day 7 we were much nearer to the coast on the return journey, and as will become clear the birding was much better...
Thanks. A comparison and contrast would be a bit sobering I think!