A routine crossing between Penzance and St. Michael’s Mount was disrupted yesterday when an unusually coordinated flock of seagulls commandeered the upper deck in what passengers described as a “food-motivated occupation.”
Witnesses reported the birds first assembled on the railings with “deliberate choreography,” then advanced toward open chip containers in a unified front. Ferry staff attempted to disperse the flock by waving high-visibility vests—an effort the gulls allegedly interpreted as a sign of surrender.
According to the Coastwatch service, the avian group displayed “advanced negotiation behaviors,” including tapping their beaks impatiently and positioning themselves between passengers and the snack bar. One gull repeatedly pecked at a laminated safety card as if emphasizing procedural noncompliance.
Local authorities are urging calm, noting that seagull-related disruptions increase during peak tourist seasons. An environmental officer suggested the birds were simply “asserting their rightful interest in unsecured carbohydrates,” though she declined to speculate on their tactical sophistication.
The ferry completed its journey after crew members enacted a controlled food handover, scattering crisps toward the stern to lure the gulls off the deck. Passengers disembarked unharmed, if slightly humiliated.
Eustace Blather, who attempted an interview with the flock, later reported receiving only “icy stares and one direct chip theft,” which he described as “a firm but fair rebuttal.”
