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Humpback Whale Migration Update: May 27, 1998
Today's Report Includes
- Special Thanks To Anne Smrcina
- This Seasons' Humpback Sightings at Stellwagen Bank
- Disentangling Humpbacks
- MIMIFest in Plymouth
- Good WWW Sites on WWWhales
- Answers from the Whale Expert
Special Thanks To Anne Smrcina!
Before the Journey North season comes to a close, we want to extend a very special thanks to whale expert extraordinaire Anne Smrcina. Each week--as dependable as whale migration itself--Anne's news reports simply land in our laps.
Over the past 5 Journey North spring seasons, she and her network of whale experts up and down the Atlantic coast have shared their expertise , research, and knowledge about whales with us all. As one student inspired student was overheard saying, "I want to go to see the ocean!" Thanks Anne, for bringing the incredible story of whale migration to so many of us who have never had the chance to see a whale---yet.
To: Journey North
From: Anne Smrcina
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Migration Route of Atlantic Humpback Whales |
This Seasons' Humpback Sightings at Stellwagen Bank
Out in the Sanctuary, the humpbacks seem to be coming back in good numbers. The whalewatch fleet has been busy, although we did have quite a few windy days lately which made it hard for the boats to go out.
Another mother-calf pair was seen (Fan and calf) and lots of other whales including:
| Nucleus | Crossbow | Amulet | Anvil |
| Backslash | Chorni* | Churn | Claddagh |
| Compass | Equator | Extreme | Flamingo |
| Foxfire | Geometry | Glyph | Grommet |
| Lacuna | Leucos | Meerkat | Occuli |
| Peacepipe | Pele | Peninsula | Ramp |
| Seal | Rocker | Springboard | Stellar |
| Walrus | Tattoo | Tear | Thread |
| Tongs | Trajectory | Tulip | Underline |
| Virgil | Vulture |
*"Chorni" means "black" in Russian
....along with the other whales mentioned in my previous reports.
Disentangling Humpbacks
As I write this report on Wed., May 27th, the Center for Coastal Studies whale disentanglement team is attempting
a rescue of a humpback whale off of Chatham, Cape Cod. The reports coming this way say that the whale is heading
towards Nantucket. Let's hope the disentanglement is successful.
The group had successfully disentangled another humpback whale on May 15th. That juvenile whale, named Entropy,
had gill netting wrapped around its tail stock and was anchored off the SW corner of Stellwagen Bank within the
Sanctuary boundary. The Center was able to free that whale without any harm to the whale or the rescuers (the
entanglement was reported by a Gloucester whalewatch boat).
MIMIFest in Plymouth
I've just finished a week-long session of marine-related programs tied to the Voyage of the MIMI curriculum, which
looks (in part) at humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine (including the first sighting at Stellwagen Bank). The
Sanctuary hosted the MIMI vessel in Plymouth harbor. Students from as far away as Dallas, TX and as close as Plymouth,
MA got to tour the boat, meet the CCaptain and try their hands at knot tying and scrimshaw (using posterboard instead
of whale teeth) during our annual MIMIFest.
Good WWW Sites on WWWhales
Here's hoping that this season will be a safe one for the whales and whalewatchers alike. Have fun this summer.
If you'd like to keep up on whale news here are two Internet sites that have great information:
Until next year, this is Anne Smrcina, education coordinator of the Stellwagen
Bank National Marine Sanctuary headquartered in Plymouth, Mass., signing off.
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Journey North |
This is the FINAL Humpback Whale Migration Update.