08/02/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
August already!
Captain Bob made an observation to me today. He thought you all would be interested to see a typical track line after a couple of days with whales and he suggested I write about it. Made sense to me as, while we are so used to it we don’t think about it – it is an interesting observation.
Attached you will find a picture of 2 or 3 days of track lines for our recent efforts. The track lines are recorded automatically on our Northstar system. The solid red lines are our tracks. The black icon of a boat reflects our current position at anytime in a track. You might be wondering where it starts and where it ends and where it goes first. We don’t know anymore, ourselves.
Our path looks like spaghetti and clearly shows that one does not simply drive straight to the whales or straight around the whales. It’s more like random motion and spinning in circles. If one did not know any better, one might infer the crew are drunk and have no idea where they are going. But, I assure you, we are a dry boat, no alcohol on board at all. I assure you that when we decided to go into port the crew drive straight as an arrow and fast (further proof we are a dry boat)! The track simply shows how you drive to find and sample whales.
The other aspect it may explain is why we are never sure of exact dates for port arrival. The students coming on are always eager to know well ahead of time what date to come so they can try for cheap airfare. We never know with much accuracy far ahead, for we never know where the whales will take us and how far the circles will go.
I remember one time last year I was scheduled to give a talk at a scientific meeting. I was aware of our inability to predict a schedule and had forewarned the organizers of my situation. Still, it was a talk I very much wanted to give and a meeting I very much wanted to attend. We worked diligently and carefully to stay within the hoped for schedule. The port I needed was east of us and we were on time. Then we caught up with some whales. We ended up following and sampling them for a couple of days and when we were done, we had ended up two days travel west of where we needed to be. I could not make that meeting and I had to send a video from deck with my apologies. It just goes to show, you never know what a bunch of whales will do.
6 biopsies today. Makes the total 28 for this leg. Nice work team! There is also a remarkable picture of Johnny above a whale off the whale boom that shows you how much bigger these whales are. This whale was not particularly big either, but you get a sense of size, plus you can see Johnny’s vantage point at his feet.
John
P.S. We are headed in to port towards Pensacola, Florida. Our current location is 29 degrees 37.4 minutes North and 87 degrees 17.5 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 29.374 N, 87.175 W.
(Blog by: John Wise, Sr., Science Director)
08/02/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Happy 22nd Birthday Johnny!
Oh what a difference a day makes. It started early today with whales called at 6:40 am. The team rolled out of bed and on deck just in time to see a whale fluke. But, these whales were not like yesterday’s and they seemed to want to be biopsied. They’d hold their position until we had just the right shot. By 9 am, we had three biopsies. By 11 am, we had 6. We ended the day with 7, which means we had a long, hot stretch of time with no whales. We did find another group of whales where some had been tagged. Same outcome as yesterday. No desire for us to get close. So lots of pictures, but no biopsies of them.
The afternoon found us pulling in a large tangle of rope. Not exactly sure what its purpose had been, but it had a conch shell anchor and a collection of fish and invertebrates including brittle stars and crabs.
The day ended with a homemade birthday cake and a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday sung to Johnny. A bit unconventional way to spend one’s 22nd birthday, not too many can claim to have biopsied whales and caught fish and swam in 3,000 feet of water as part of the day. Presents will have to come later, when James is with us.
Picture of an unusual sunset attached. I particularly like the reflection of the sun on the water in the early one. The later one shows how calm the water is becoming and it looks like molten glass. Truly beautiful tonight–one of my favorites of both trips.
John
P.S. We are headed in towards Pensacola, Florida. Our current location is 28 degrees 20.6 minutes North and 89 degrees 24.0 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 28.206 N, 89.240 W.
(Blog by: John Wise, Sr., Science Director)
08/02/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
It was a day with whales, but no biopsies. These whales were simply not interested in being approached. They were sporting new satellite beacon tags and would simply sink under the water and disappear. I have attached pictures of some that we saw. It almost looks like mutant whales in a 21st century movie.
For one stretch, the entire team was on deck for almost 4 hours. The sun keeping us on slow and deep roast. I even picked up and prepared the third crossbow for me to use as the best looks we got were near me along the pilot house. Needless to say, once I was fully armed and ready to go, none of the whales swam near the pilot house! So I took no attempts either.
We did have one remarkable moment earlier on. The one whale we did almost get close to sampling. We were pulling alongside and the biopsiers were readying their aim. Everyone was in place. I was standing alongside the pilot house watching the final approach. When, suddenly, just a few feet from the whales head, a small dolphin breached! Right in front of the whale!
It was a stunning image and a bit discombobulating as the first thought I had was, that it was a teeny tiny sperm whale baby, as I had never seen dolphins that close to sperm whales before. But, it was not. It was a large pod of dolphins that had come to play and bow ride. The whale, however, was neither amused nor interested in dolphins and simply slipped deeper into the water and swam away. The dolphins played with us for a while and that whale would not let us near with them around.
We ended the day, hot, frustrated and with a lot of work still to do. Dinner was late–about 9:15 pm, as we do not eat until the work is done. Still the team maintained its good spirits.
That is indeed one of the true marvels of these experiences–the team spirit. Imagine yourself on this boat. Hot, usually. Tired, always. Under constant work expectations with spikes of intense periods of effort. Little comfort food. No TV. You might even be seasick. Your showers are infrequent. Sleep is irregular. You are at sea with a group of people, some you hardly know, and others maybe just to a certain extent. Not exactly the recipe for camaraderie and harmony.
Yet, we have been blessed with just that. On each leg, every person has worked to the known limits of their individual abilities and then beyond. Not everyone is the same, so the end product is not the samefor all. But all, have indeed given more than I think they knew they had in them. They have all done it with good humor and good spirits. For that and for them, I am truly grateful.
I attribute this effort’s success to a number of factors. The crew are fine men, who know what they are doing and who extend their patience and flexibility to us to do our work. Adjustments are made as needed, but when asked for are done so with patience and grace. Many thanks to Bob, Ian and John for all their hard work and patience. Next is the parent organization who runs this boat. Iain Kerr patiently listens to my comments and adjustments and, also with patience and grace, makes them in a timely and helpful manner. There, of course, is the cook. She keeps us all fed and hydrated with a smile and says little. Everybody
loves the cook.
Then there is the core science crew. Johnny works very hard each day to ensure the team is prepared, organized and on task. His role is complex as he has to oversee and help perform a wide array of tasks and try to make sure the rest of the team finds rest and reward within the long hours of work. All while trying to carefully balance the challenge of working under one’s father and supervising one’s sister–not a simple task while overworked and exhausted. His is doing a
difficult job admirably and usually with an ear to ear grin.
Cathy, too, works hard every day carrying out her watches and duties and ensuring the cells and samples are healthy, safe and sound. She, too, usually has a warm smile and friendly ear for those who need it. She has to balance the challenge of working for both her father and her brother–perhaps an even harder task, all while overworked and exhausted! The two of them make the core science work, and while sibling tension occasionally arises, it is infrequent and rapidly resolved. I think one day, they will look back and marvel at the work they accomplished together and the truly unique experience this has been.
It’s a great core team that works hard, eats well, laughs a lot and is carrying out a unique and important study. Most importantly, they make everyone who comes, whether for 2 minutes or 2 weeks, feel welcome, engaged and needed. One of our visiting science team said to me on one leg that the spirit of the core team had really made a difference to her experience on the boat. More often than not, she observed, people in this type of position (high intensity, high stakes, focused work) get insular and closed to ensure the work is done their way. Our team, in contrast, is open and supportive and helps others engage, participate and is open to suggestion and change. It’s a great core team that has been blessed with exceptional short-term team members. That mix is a recipe for success and indeed, success we are having. Camaraderie at sea… ours is simply awesome!
The next two legs will be frenetic with very brief ports stops further testing out patience and our mettle. I am confident our esprit de corps will remain strong despite the short breaks and we will continue to make all feel welcome no matter how tired and overworked we are.
There are not many days left in this year’s expedition. I plan to cherish them all. I hope my team does the same.
John
P.S. We are on the Gulf off of Louisiana. Our current location is 28 degrees 15.7 minutes North and 89 degrees 23.0 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 28.157 N, 89.230 W.
(Blog by: John Wise, Sr., Science Director)
07/30/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
It was a long night. No one slept much. It’s hard to sleep when the boat is rocking that much. Plus there are the noises in the night. At one point, about 1 am, it felt like the boat went up into the air and crashed down and then sounded like it split in half. There was a loud crash followed by the scurry of crew feet pounding on the deck (our ceiling). Turns out, both wire cables holding in the dinghy gave way. Our trusty crew caught it and saved the dinghy and all was well. It was a long, hard night, but, we managed to stay away from the serious parts of the tropical storm and all were safe and sound.
It’s a real adventure when the swells get going. Even swells at 9 feet toss you around quite a bit. I often sit against the port-side wall at the salon table writing grants and papers and taking care of both current and future projects. It’s about 3 feet from where I sit to the middle of the salon and then I can choose to go fore into the galley or aft to the cabins. Normally, a decision and a function I don’t
really think about, I just go. But, when the waves come, as they did yesterday, last night and this morning, it’s a whole different ball game.
Let’s say, for example, you are in my seat and are going to leave it, go to the galley and come back with your dinner. As soon as you stand, the swells are going to try and push you over. Hence, you have to cautiously balance yourself for 3 feet, then make a 90 degree turn and rebalance yourself for the 6 foot walk to the galley steps. All with swells slamming into the boat from random directions. Of course, it’s stormy, and the boat is small, so most of the other members of the crew are enjoying the spectacle of your attempt and offering their performance assessments. You might earn a 10 from the judge from Florida for artistic flair! Or maybe you just get a chuckle and grin from the soccer player in the room. Phew, you have made it to the galley steps and you are still on your feet!
You now have to descend 5 steps into the galley. Only problem is the boat pitches and rolls over the waves and one moment the steps are right under your feet, but the next they are three feet below you and you are stepping into empty air! Johnny makes the biggest thuds in these moments, when he misses the stairs, so it’s hard to beat his artistic scores for stair walking through the air. Good news! You’re in the galley. It took you a while, and you had to muster every ounce
of concentration you had, but you made it. You have moved all of 10 feet of distance and yet, it’s the thrill of victory.
Now, the galley poses its own set of challenges. It is the rockiest room on the boat and stuff is sliding everywhere. For this example, let’s make dinner a simple dish- say spaghetti in a bowl. You have to get a bowl (and you are praying the cook put enough bowls on the table so you don’t have to cross the 5 foot of galley floor to find one). With one hand holding the table to balance yourself, you grab the bowl. Instant problem, you have to let go of the table to scoop your spaghetti and sauce. That means balancing in the rockiest part of the boat with just your legs and core muscles. You serve the spaghetti. You add the sauce. Still on your feet? Lucky.
Next problem: you want a drink. But, you now have a bowl of spaghetti to hold on to. The fridge is 4 feet away, which seems ridiculously far and it takes two hands to get the fridge open and the drink out. Time to strategize on the spaghetti bowl. You look around the room and find some corner to wedge your spaghetti bowl. Phew, you have it stuck down. Wham! A swell hits and you go skittering across the room grasping for a hold and shuffling your feet to the ‘I have sea legs’
version of the chicken dance! Still on your feet? Lucky. Time for juice.
You open the fridge. Grab the juice. Wave hits. Chicken dance across the room. You grab a cup. Wave hits. Dance a jig to the counter over the fridge. Uh oh. Gotta POUR the juice. You evaluate your thirst. Do I really want a drink?
OK. You do. This time. While swaying with the boat, you carefully aim and pour the juice. Spill any? Quickly you wedge your glass somewhere. Wham! wave hits and you go skittering across the room. You put away the juice. Close the fridge. Victory! Dinner is in the bowl! Sigh a sense of relief and accomplishment. You’re almost there!
Or are you???!!! You lift your bowl and cup and realize you now have to ascend the 5 bobbing stairs back into the salon. With no hands! With stuff to spill in each hand! Your crew mates, the ones who so kindly judged your performance on your way down–their eyes are wide with fear for they know that any failed attempt on your part means you and/or your food falls all over them.
They cringe in fear. You hold your breath. You step onto the first stair and then as fast as you ever have moved you ascend the other four stairs and then in one continuous motion propel yourself down the 5 foot narrow path, around the 90 degree turn, across the three feet of floor, and spin into your seat, while simultaneously setting your food on the table. Then you breathe. You made it! You can eat! Your crewmates stare in disbelief and marvel with relief that neither you nor your food landed on them. Only problem… your forgot your fork!
I have experienced this dance time and time again. I’ve been part of the spectator crew panel and I have been the primary performer. It is a true sea experience. Amusing and exhausting. It just a small taste of life in the swells.
Of course, using the bathroom and sleeping–they require entirely different strategies on days like these.
Ultimately, the water calmed down and the weather cleared. At 2 pm, I had Johnny restart whale watches. By 4 pm, we had biopsied two whales and work was back to normal. We ended the day with three biopsies, jellyfish samples and lots of tired smiles.
Picture othe team collecting jellies attached.
John
P.S. We are on the Gulf off of Louisiana. Our current location is 28 degrees 50.9 minutes North and 88 degrees 33.8 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 28.509 N, 88.338 W.
07/30/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
It had to come sooner or later. Rough weather in the Gulf. We have been lucky so far. Good experience for the newbies, I guess. This morning we were looking at a tropical wave that might or might not turn into a tropical storm. It did, and we met tropical storm Don. Lots of rain and high seas. The team basically did its best to hold on and hold fast all day.
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. I’ll let the satellite image of us do just that. In the image below, we are the pink dot above the “f” in the Gulf of Mexico. The rest is Don. Of course, it’s not to scale and we are a MUCH smaller pink dot than that. Don is tossing us around like a cork in the water. But, we are fine and safe and motoring away from the storm, but not too many places to hide as Don is moving into the black open area. More tomorrow. [Note: the infrared satellite image shown with this blog shows water vapor patterns over the Gulf during tropical storm Don; it is not the image described in this blog].
The rain did let up and give a gorgeous sunset. The waves have not. Tomorrow looks to be more of the same.
John
P.S. We are on the Gulf off of Louisiana. Our current location is 28 degrees 10.6 minutes North and 88 degrees 49.9 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 28.106 N, 88.499 W.
(Blog by: John Wise, Dr., Science Director)
07/29/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
It was, as they say, a banner day, today. It didn’t start out that way. In fact, as far as whales go, it was quite a quiet day. I was up rather early as is becoming more of the norm and no whales were really heard or seen. It appeared like finally the newbies would experience a day at sea with no whales.
Then, early in the afternoon, Johnny radioed in that a whale breeched a few miles ahead. The distance was such that I was doubtful we would reach the whale in time for a sample, but the prospect of seeing a breeching whale was enough to head out on deck and look. Sure enough, there on the horizon, like 9 miles away, a whale leapt completely out of the water and splashed back down.
I am always awed and amazed by these leaps as it’s a rare glimpse of the full whale and it illustrates just how big and powerful they are that 9 miles away you can see and hear it splash. It did this again and I could see the water glistening on its back in the sun. Breathtaking sight really.
As we approached, we could see a second blow and realized there were two whales. Closer and closer we came, and finally reached a distance where it was time to assemble the team. “Whales” I called. “Everyone on deck.” The team assembled. I was quite surprised that these whales had stayed on the surface so long and allowed us to catch up to them.
The boat pulled into position. The biopsiers readied their aim. Everyone hung on the moment for sample… and just as we were about to release the biopsy arrows, both whales fluked and dove deeply right at Johnny’s feet! We were seconds too late for a sample. I have attached a photo of the whales diving just as we pulled within range. Remarkable images. Disappointing moment.
But, I promised you it was a banner day, and it was. Lo’ and behold, no sooner did those whales dive, than a few minutes later, another whale was sighted and then another pair. These three were interesting because they swam mostly just under the surface of the water. But they were not far under the surface, and with the light on the water we were easily able to follow them and collect samples from each one. Three biopsies on the day!
I know what you are thinking. Three is our average, not much of a banner day. Ah yes, that is true these days. But, these three samples were different. For you see they were our 98th, 99th and 100th sperm whale biopsy. Yes, we have actually managed to collect 100 sperm whale biopsies over these two voyages. I can hardly believe it. It seems like just yesterday when I was watching the oil gush into the Gulf and telling Iain Kerr- “We have to go.”
Now the oil has stopped, and we are in the possession of a truly unique and valuable sample set that will not only inform us about the oil crisis, but also tell us about this important body of water and ocean pollution in general. There is still much more to do and many more biopsies to collect over the next few years to fully understand the story. But for today, with smiles, backslaps and congratulations all around, we bask in the glow of a job well done, a milestone well earned and the knowledge that no one has ever done this sort of thing before. We are the first to have such a 2-year sample set in a free-ranging whale population.
John
P.S. We are on the Gulf off of Louisiana. Our current location is 28 degrees 00.4 minutes North and 89 degrees 35.9 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 28.004 N, 89.359 W.
(Blog by: John Wise, Sr., Science Director)
07/27/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Six biopsies today! It is difficult to decide which one(s) to write about as they all have their moments. Should it be the one where the team worked like an oiled machine with the sample taken, collected and cultured as if choreographed. Perhaps, it is the unusual looking whale. Today, we had one with a split dorsal fin (picture attached).
She was accompanied by a tiny juvenile. One that was about half the size that sperm whales are normally born (we did not try and sample the tiny juvenile). We imagined mom’s dorsal was injured protecting the little tyke from predators like killer whales, but upon inspection of the photo, it looks grown and more like an odd dorsal-mutation.
Perhaps, it is the time we sampled two whales simultaneously. Or maybe the first whale of the day. All memorable and exciting experiences. Too many to fit in to one email. I think my favorite biopsies are the unpredictable ones, when chaos on deck ensues and you feel like you’re on a sailing vessel from the 1800′s battling the elements and trying to succeed. We had a sample like that today.
Bob Kuech called down from the midlevel platform and asked the helm if it intended to sail into the oncoming rain storm. John Bradford replied that he try to avoid it and I headed to the pilot house to look. Bob’s concern, and rightly so, was that we did not want the camera up there with him to get wet. I looked at the storm, it was avoidable. Still, better safe than sorry, I asked for a camera raincoat to be delivered up to Bob (yes we do have specific raincoats that were made for these cameras–thanks Chris!). I also changed into my bathing suit as I had a hunch, I’d be getting wet.
The boat turned from the storm, but then Bob spotted a whale. Needless to say, it was right between us and the storm. I called whales and the team assembled on deck. It turned out to be a pair of whales! We approached with the wind picking up and blowing in our faces. The water was becoming increasingly choppy with whitecaps everywhere. We neared the two whales and noticed a third just a few yards beyond them swimming opposite them. It was getting busy as we moved closer and closer to the storm.
We reached the pair of whales and sampled the first one. Brady tossed in a buoy to mark the location of the arrow and we turned to sample the second whale. Only that whale was not in clear view. The wind was sufficiently blowing that it was hard to distinguish between whale, whale blow and whitecap. Bob and Rikki were up on the mast, but keeping low and out of the wind, Ian, Sandy, Cathy, Ariel and Johnny were in the bow area and John Bradford was atop the pilot house, all searching for some sign of them. Communication was a challenge as the wind blew away our shouts. I was alongside the pilot house looking and conveying messages to Captain Bob who was in at the helm. He mentioned to me that we needed to be mindful that the wind was blowing hard and we might lose track of the arrow and buoy in the water. Knowing there was a biopsy in that sample, I agreed and we went to collect them.
No sooner had Brady scooped the arrow into the boat with the net, then we saw the lone whale just ahead! We left the buoy and went to sample him. We approached. I saw one arrow fly and then another. I called out that both were clear misses. Both right on target, but the swells rose and the arrows met water not whale. Then chaos ensued. The wind was blowing. Rain was starting to fall. I yelled to the bow for confirmation there were two arrows in the water as Brady began to collect the first one. My concern was no buoy went in and in wind like this, we’d likely need the marker. Captain Bob and I both saw two, but we wanted confirmation. I was told “1,” no “2,” no “1,” no ”3,” all simultaneously in shouts carried off by the wind. I dropped a buoy in on the starboard side where the attempt was taken to be safe.
As I did that, I saw Captain Bob leaning over the port side helping retrieve the arrow. I figured I just wasted a buoy as 2 arrows were now in. But Cathy came over concerned that there was a third arrow in the water with no buoy! That would be hard to find in this weather. She explained that the arrow they had just collected had a sample and the original 2 arrows were misses. Turns out there was a port side attempt right after the 2 starboard misses and 3 arrows had been in the water I assured her all was fine, as I had indeed dropped a buoy for that second arrow.
The chaos continued. I had Rikki keeping me posted on the location of the pair of whales so we could possibly sample the remaining whale. Others were sighting the buoys in the water. All talking at once. All with the wind blowing away the shouts and stirring up the water. All with rain bearing down on us. We raced against the storm. Finally, with the last buoy in, we turned again for the third whale. The rain now fell heavily. Some of the team retreated to the dry pilot house. The rest of us kept a rain-soaked watch though we never did find the third whale. It was too windy and rainy to see much. But, it was an adventure! A very productive day.
John
P.S. We are on the Gulf off of Louisiana. Our current location is 28 degrees 21.4 minutes North and 89 degrees 06.3 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 28.21.4 N, 89.063 W.
(Blog by: John Wise, Sr., Science Director)
07/26/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
It’s funny how different each leg of the research expedition is. Part of it is each leg, we get a little bit more proficient and so we biopsy faster and better. The first leg we were in waters with few whales and we had not been to sea for about a year. Thus, when we found sperm whales we were slow and inefficient and really had to work for them. That crew really found it a challenge to biopsy. But, we were successful.
The second leg, our busiest ever, found us in water with plenty of whales and sampling them almost every day. The newbies on the crew wondered why finding whales was considered so hard or infrequent. Ah, if they only knew. Our old hand on that lag, Shouping, knew. But, it was a great leg and we were successful.
Now, it’s the third leg of the Gulf research expedition–our first day on the ocean. Within 6 hours of leaving the Mississippi river, Bob Kuech sighted 2 whales about a mile away. We headed for them and, low and behold, a third whale popped up just to our starboard side. Within minutes, the whale was sampled, the sample arrow and buoy were collected, and Cathy was in the lab processing the first sample of this leg. It was done with surgical efficiency as if the entire team had been at it for years. I am sure these newbies, even more than those on the last legs, were thinking: “Well, that was easy.” Let’s hope it stays that way.
This leg’s first whale was actually a treat. After giving us a sample, it stayed and hung out with us for a while. Since the original two whales had apparently dived and moved on. I asked Captain Bob to allow the crew to just hang out with this whale for a whale. I moved to the bow sprit for a better view. Picture attached.
This whale just gently and slowly guided through the water apparently as intrigued by us as we were of it. We basically coasted in the boat while it swam in front. I could admire the contours of its body and the power and grace in its movements. Very impressive animal! After a little while, it had better things to do so it rolled on its side and waved its side tail fluke at us, as if to say goodbye, and went on its way. We returned to look for more whales. We would find one more this day. We sampled it just before it dove. All in all a successful, picturesque day.
John
P.S. We are on the Gulf off of Louisiana. Our current location is 28 degrees 19.5 minutes North and 89 degrees 09.6 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth – but maps) or Bing maps use (include letters and comma): 28.195 N, 89.096 W.
07/25/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
This port call was unusual as we started in Biloxi and then the boat sailed to Baton Rouge for the meeting with our sponsor Albemarle. Johnny took the long break as an opportunity to grab a little summer fun with college friends and returned to Maine. Sandy and I went to North Carolina for a couple of days to work with the EPA, but made it back to Baton Rouge for some of the festivities. Cathy stayed on the boat as cook and science head and showed everyone in Baton Rouge just how well trained USM students are. Ocean Alliance stalwarts John Atkinson and Mark Hayes flew in and helped Captain Bob, First Mate Ian and John Bradford with the ride up the Mississippi. Roger Payne and Iain Kerr joined the team in Baton Rouge. Ultimately, several hundred people visited the boat and learned of our work. The team thoroughly enjoyed the people from Albemarle and the time in Baton Rouge.
We learned in port from NOAA that we are indeed the only group studying the toxicology of chemicals in these Gulf whales. NOAA took a few samples last year and has moved on to other concerns. In fact, there is only one other group studying anything at all in these whales. Their efforts are to satellite tag them to see where they go. You might remember the picture of the whale with the blue antennae attached--that was their work. Ironically, they developed their original tagging protocols some 18 years ago on the Odyssey with Iain Kerr and Captain Bob! It's just us now. Welcome to the cutting edge of whale toxicology research. I thought about this outcome a lot while in port. My team's work is commonly on the very edge of what is known in whatever we do. I like to discover new things and new approaches.
At the same time, the edge can be a very lonely place as science is a discipline built on skepticism. The more one can answer and address that skepticism with data, the stronger the work becomes and the quieter the criticisms get. The challenge is, when you work on the edge, this far out on the edge, you are like a fish in a small barrel for the skeptics. Little data and lots of vision, great fodder for those who like to criticize.
But, the more I thought about it, the broader my grin got. For I am not out here on my own. We have, have had, and will have, a crew of people on board who devote themselves to this project with me. We have a team of researchers in my lab working hard every day to ensure we have the support we need and that samples that come home are handled correctly. We have fantastic partners at Ocean Alliance and a myriad of exceptional expert collaborators. We have generous and insightful financial supporters. We have a University of administrators, faculty, staff and students helping us with essential work in payroll, human resources, sponsored programs, business services, information technology, research compliance and many other departments to help us succeed. We have all of you with words of encouragement and interest. We are a team here out on the edge of whale toxicology. Thanks for your support! We are in this one together.
So now we are back at it sailing down the Mississippi, headed back to the Gulf. We have new crew on board. Dr. Bob Kuech, our science education professor at USM, is back with us. He will be our photographer. Ariel Kaplan is a biochemistry major at USM. She will man the data. Rikki Kuech is a nursing major at USM. She will be our spotter when we are on whales. Brady Kuech just graduated from USM. He will be manning the nets and arrows. John Atkinson, Iain Kerr and Mark Hayes spent the day sailing down with us, but they departed in New Orleans. All is well. We are ready for more whales. Picture of the sunset over the Mississipp attached. It was taken facing behind the boat.
John
P.S. We are on the Mississippi in Louisiana. Our current location is 29 degrees 54.6 minutes North and 90 degrees 06.3 minutes West, for those who want to track us as we go. For Google maps (not Google Earth - but maps) use (include letters and comma): 29.546 N, 90.063 W.
(Blog by: John Wise, Sr., Science Director)
07/20/11 by admin | Home Page Blogs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
My apologies to the delay in this email. I was knocked out by some brutal food poisoning. But back on my feet and back at it today.
I learned the last leg that if I don’t write and explain that we arrived in port safely, people wonder if we indeed made it. We did. We got in about 11 am and all went out to a leisurely lunch before attending to the necessities of port.
Here we will say goodbye to Nate, Jane, Nick and Shouping and we will prepare the boat for the trip up the Mississippi for our events in Baton Rouge with Albemarle. My next note will be July 24, after the conclusions of those events, when we are on our way back out to sea.
All is well.
John
P.S. We are in Biloxi Mississippi.
(Blog by: John Wise, Sr., Science Director)
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