Hi, this is Anne Smrcina from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary --
Scott Kraus from the New England Aquarium has called in with a right whale update to let us know that no right whales have been seen over the past week in the Georgia/Florida area. Researchers assume the mothers and calves are beginning the slow migration northward (right whales are some of the slowest of the whales, a fast speed for mother- calf pairs is about 4-5 knots, for adults 6 knots tends to be an upper limit although some have been seen doing 8-9 knots in courtship groups for limited amounts of time). They are probably working their way up north along the coastline, but how close is anyone's guess.
CHALLENGE QUESTION: Here's a question for you -- Do you think the right whales make their migration at the surface or by swimming underwater most of the time? What factors might come into play in their mode of transit?
Send your answer to: jnorth@informns.k12.mn.us
The Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, MA reports that numerous whales are being spotted in Cape Cod Bay (others may be in the Great South Channel but no one has been able to go out there to check). An aerial overflight of Cape Cod Bay this past weekend located 11 whales near Barnstable (mid-Cape) and others have been spotted closer to Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown on the eastern end of the Bay.
I know this is so -- because I was lucky to get to go along on one of the research cruises last week. "Stormy" Mayo, famous for his whale disentanglement work and whale behavioral research (he was also covered in the first Voyage of the MIMI), invited Brad Barr, the Sanctuary Manager, and me out on the Center's vessel HALOS (33 feet in length) last Wednesday, March 22.
The first whales we came upon were three adults involved in social behavior (nuzzling, nudging, rubbing against each other). The three (probably two males and one female) came right up to the boat, which began to bob about from the surges of water raised by the whales. One whale came so close we were afraid it was going to slap the bow of the boat with its tail, but it gently pulled away and swept around the boat without hitting it.
This was the first time I had ever seen a right whale -- and I had three of them within meters of the boat. They are fantastic creatures -- almost primitive in their appearance, somewhat unattractive due to their callosities and scarring, but beautiful in their grace and power. The whales seemed uninterested in us -- and most interested in their "play." However, it did look as if they were checking us over before they moved away. We also spotted several loners in the Bay, and were able to get close to a few of them. We saw the distinctive V-shaped blow and the smooth-edged fluke with distinctive v-shaped notch when they sounded (right whales, like humpbacks, show their flukes, or tails, when they dive).
The primary researcher on board was Marilyn Marks -- she was taking photographs and videos to record the whales for later identification and study of their behaviors. I can see why identification is so difficult -- these whales, for all their size, move fast enough to make recognition of head callosity patterns or scars difficult, especially when several whales are together. Also, very little of the right whale sticks out of the water -- usually all you see is a broad flat back and an occasional blow (the right whale has no dorsal fin). Their low profile makes it extremely hard to spot right whales, even when you know their in the area and you're specifically looking for them. No wonder, so many have been hit by boaters.
This was a totally unexpected expedition, and one that I will long remember. Here's hoping that all of you will get the chance to spot some of these great whales in the future.
Until next week, this is Anne Smrcina, education coordinator for the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, signing off.
Journey North 125 North First Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 Phone: (612)339-6959