GBBC 2026 - Day 2 February 14

The coastline of Cuba

Day 2 was, for the most part, uneventful as the ship sailed along the eastern coast of Cuba, through the Windward Passage in route to the Turk & Caicos Islands, island of Grand Turk. I say “mostly” because the morning’s sea watching gifted me a lifer—an unforgettable highlight in an otherwise quiet day.

It was impossible not to be awed by the sheer size, rugged beauty, and dramatic coastline of eastern Cuba. I rose just before daybreak to find the ship already gliding past the shore. In the darkness, only two faint red lights—perhaps from an antenna—hinted at civilization. As dawn broke, a haze lingered, but the ghostly outline of the land drew the attention of nearly everyone gathered on the port side.

Later in the day, as the haze lifted slightly, I tried to capture the landscape in photographs. Though the coastline remained a distant backdrop for most of the journey, its presence was striking.

Birding was quiet, with only two species recorded:

One of the two Black-capped Petrel - Lifer

• And my lifer of the day—two Black-capped Petrels (Pterodroma hasitata), spotted a few miles apart.
• Four Brown Boobys (Sula leucogaster) that accompanied us, diving sporadically for flying fish.
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Though sightings were few, the lifer made the day memorable.

The final day of the GBBC found me in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands. You can read about that adventure here.

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