I usually don't let so much time slide by without sending word on
what's happening here but during the past three weeks not much has
happened. At least as far as EWS sightings go. To date, we've been
grounded as much as we normally would be over the course of an entire
season. Most of the days we are flying are less than perfect for
surveying. It doesn't appear that we'll get the long stretch of good
weather we need to really ascertain what's going on in the calving
ground this year. Last winter, we documented over 40 sightings of right
whales between January 15 and February 08. During 1996, we had nearly 50
sightings during that time. This year we've scored 4 sightings during
the same period. Our team has photographed no more than 6 different
cow/calf pairs. With data from all other surveys combined, I'll bet we
don't have 10 cow/calf pairs documented this year. Crop's looking thin,
even considering the reduction in survey effort due to the hindrances of
El Nino.
We have managed to get offshore biopsy darting a time or two during
past few weeks. Follow the blue colored links from the address below to
locate more info and Joe Roman's narratives of our trips, successful and
otherwise.