2014 Florida Volunteer Updates

As the North Atlantic right whales migrate to the South Georgia/Northern Florida coast each winter volunteers help watch for and capture critical details related to this endangered species. This information helps scientists track the fate of the species and acts as a first alert system to pilots in the shipping lanes to avoid accidental killings. This blog shares the findings, photos and other pertinent information gathered from the Palm Coast Sector Volunteer Team while helping to connect and communicate the many ways we can protect the right whales and sustain our wonderful ocean life.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Whale Watching "Lulladays"

These are Photos from todays watch at San Gabriel Walk Over.
At the bottom is a link for a few new videos I posted,,,no new whales but a few from today and remember you can always click on the photographs below to enlarge them on your own screen. Whale on!

   Foggy, windy, cloudy but still beautiful day to whale watch!


   Look how far the tide comes up,,,it is almost full here.


   I had no idea there were spiders out in this cold weather!
   But the birds don't seem to mind. 
   High Tide...


   Our Official Whale Watcher Gear :)

   And don't we love life through our binox!

P.S. I have posted a few new videos from todays watch - no new whales, just Pelicans, Surf and Birds, oh my!
Click here to be taken to the new ocean videos.


Wednesday, February 3, 2010

The Birthing Grounds



My experience seeing and helping account for the many whales on Flagler Beach/Pier a week ago friday is still with me.

At first I was reflecting on how the mother whale and her calve seemed to embody the pure, simple joy of just rolling in the soft current together and it reminded me of when I used to carry my young daughter, her legs around my waste, out into the water and past the waves. We would be out there bobbing in what we called the "wee waves" just past the break. The soft joyful laughter of my young child, the close togetherness, the faint scent of the salt water and the freedom of being in the water came back to me as clearly as if it was yesterday.

And yet now it has gone a bit deeper. Now when I look out over the ocean, I not only think of and watch the birds, the waves and the clouds overhead. I not only wait for the dolphins that come by around 9:30 every morning. Now that I know the whales are really out there, what they look like from land I can't help but think about the bigger picture and how my life has changed since then.

I began thinking how the right whales migrate here from far up North to give birth and nurture their young during the winter. And how the loggerhead turtles also come back to this same beach after ten years away to lay their eggs and give life. There must be a magnetic beacon here. Calling. Pulling. The other night while I was out on my deck appreciating the full moon and its reflection out on the distant waters I pondered the connection of it all. The tides, the planets, how so many of God's creatures know to come here for birthing and nurturing. And I couldn't help but translate this to our own lives. How we too are going through our own personal renewals and cycles in our lives. And while I always new this was a special place due to its natural beauty I know now it goes much deeper than that. And I am ever grateful to be in some small way, a part of it.  Whale on!