Reporter's log: My 39-day trip from China to Europe by sea

Maybe they were saving their energy by utilizing the air currents created by the ship's bow, I thought.

They shot downward in one fast motion and stopped suddenly just before hitting the sea surface, and then flew back high in the air.

To my inexperienced eyes, it looked like the sudden downward moment gave them time to rest.

As soon as I was back on the navigation bridge, I shared my observations with the ship's captain Gu Longhua. After listening to me, he grinned from ear to ear and said, "Wrong! The seagulls were hunting for fish rather than having a short rest."