Oh Happy Evening Fluke Fellowship,

Today aboard the Aurora we joined Captain Earl in our quest for megafauna on the Southwest Corner of Stellwagen Bank.  Our 11am adventure began with an exciting discovery of two highly dynamic humpback whale associations, a welcome challenge of tracking and identification for NEAQ intern Megan and myself.  We were pleased to recognize Pele in addition to Cajun and Jabiru who both had calves in tow.  These mountains of mysticete were reluctant to fluke in our favor when diving for 2-4 minutes, but their characteristic dorsal fins betrayed their attempts at anonymity! 

An association of humpback whales.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Onlookers observe flukes spanning 15' wide.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Jabiru's 2015 Calf rolling.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

One calf evades a potential entanglement.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Jabiru fluking for a dive.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

The aquatic quintet crossed paths with a humpback coalition of four including Hancock and her 2015 calf, who were all dexterous in evading lobster buoys and many a recreational fishing boat.  These vessels were in the company of the Auk, a NOAA research craft whose crew deployed a zodiac craft to monitor boat interactions with whales.  As we left cetacean and craft to the watchdogs of the ocean, we cautiously approached humpback dame Glo-Stick who punished the sea surface with pectoral flipper slapping and tail-lobbing!  

NOAA sends a zodiac from the Auk to investigate boat activity.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Goo-Stick flipper slapping.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

Our 3pm return to the Southwest Corner began with a continuation of the pelagic percussion that ended our previous trip, but these were thunderous antics of an unknown humpback whale NEAQ naturalists nicknamed 15BH34.  This individual seemed young in regard to body size and coloration of its fluke pattern, but it was ambitious in breaching and pectoral flipper slapping!  This whale eventually descended on a long dive, but we revisited two humpback associations whose participants remained faithful to the location we investigated on our 11am trip.  At close proximity we identified A-Plus and Perseid as they travelled with Hancock and her 2015 Calf, and of the second sighting we rediscovered Pele who accompanied Jabiru and Cajun who were with their calves.

15BH34 dual flipper slapping.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist 

15BH34 on one of several breaches.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

We were thankful for the herculean resolve of Cap’n Earl, who was skillful in evading both associations as they continued to surface next to the Aurora!  The whales seemed to be traveling randomly and displaying curiosity toward our steel chariot, and at one point Hancock’s association surfaced off our stern with some very close spyhopping.  Our obligations to terrestrial life soon pried us from these creatures, and so we made for the coast amidst a lightning storm of mythological proportions!  The thunder of this tempest could not quell the indomitable spirit cultivated by today’s encounters.

Pele and the port pulpit.  Rich Dolan, BHC naturalist

This adventure also commemorates my final voyage with Megan, who will continue to safeguard our natural world in her future scientific endeavors!

Peace and Love,

Rich