Osse is said to have persuaded some of the Teleri to remain, of whom Cirdan was (or, I suspect, became) the leader.
This seems less definite, and therefore less likely 'the real truth' than the other explanation in PoME: that when he vowed to go West, the Valar spoke into his mind to tell him not to.
And as far as Gandalf-spotting goes, Cirdan "saw further and deeper" than any other Elf in M-e (as a consequence of getting that direct word from the Valar in the first place!), and ships coming to Mithlond out of the West would be so rare and immensely significant that the means of Gandalf's arrival would also have given Cirdan a strong hint.
[ January 12, 2003: Message edited by: Osric ]
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