EWS Update #12
02/27/97 - 03/05/97

Another calving season is coming to a close.  There'll be stragglers but it
looks like most of our moms slipped out of the area under the cover of fog
and wind at the end of alst month.  This is no great surprise.  Most right 
whale cows decide to take their calves home in late February, often 
covering 20-30 NM a day until they reach Cape Cod.  The last couple of 
sightings from this update are of a mom trying to decide if she's really
ready to go.  When the water temperature climbs towards 60 degreees 
Farenheight the whales get restless for cooler water and other species begin
to move inshore, particularly sea turtels.  It's really quite striking how 
pivotal that 60 degree mark seems to be.  We hit that mark during the middle
of the week and our sightings on 3/04 and 3/05 reflect the ...  On those two
days we saw 754 turtles, mostly loggerheads; 863 bottlenose dolphins; and
520 cownose rays (Rhinopteria bonasus, surely one of the coolest latin
names in the animal kingdom).  We also recorded over 20,000 sharks...just
in time for spring break!

All the best from Fenandina -- Chris, Lisa and the fly crew.