3/17/04: Grays, Dolphins & No Wearin' of the Green!

Regardless of the official state of winter vs. spring, spring is here. Big time. These are the days when all of the promise of spring is delivered… and then some. See you out there.

3/11/04: More Great Spring Weather & Whales
Hard to say how long this weather will last, but it sure is a great way to kick winter out the door. The gray whale flood gates are open for sure, with lots of whales being spotted out there. We finally broke away for a motorcycle ride down the Big Sur coast Monday and it looked as though there was a popcorn maker moving along 1-2 miles out. Big blows, but that's all you see. Maybe a sliver of a tail. Doesn't matter, it still entrances me. I wonder about the lives of whales. What would it be like to make that migration?

We stopped way down the coast at Lucia for lunch and sat out on the deck. It was warm, brilliant blue and dead calm. Steph and I watched the whales through dark glasses, whispering back and forth about their numbers and proximity. Another diner blew our cover when she asked me, "Are you a whale watching captain?" She'd been on our boats for the surprise 40th birthday party for Glenna Shoemaker, who is one of our very-frequent flyers, along with her husband Jack. The rest of the lunch, we answered questions about the whales for other diners.

The orcas we saw last week seemed to be casing the joint, scouting the area. They were several hundred yards aprart from each other, but going the same general direction. It reminded me of making a sweep. When these top-of-the-food-chain predators hunt, they gather closer and hunt like wolves, attacking from all sides.

While they enjoy the status of being at the top of the apex, killer whales are paying for it. They're the final receptacles for the pollutants found in each of the creatures they eat as well as the creatures those creatures ate and so on down the line. These aren't benign entities, many are lethal such as PCB's. Being fat-stored, they stay in the system, wreaking their damage. Reproductive systems bear a large part of the pressure and may have drastic effects on the orcas' numbers.

Nancy Black is giving a presentation on killer whales next Tuesday at Long Marine Lab's Seymour Center. If you're interested in attending, it's at 7 PM and cost is $6 for adults/$4 for Friends of Long Marine Lab. We may see you there; looks as though our whole crew plans to attend.

More evidence of spring would be found in tomorrow's cruise building to Princess of Whales. For those of you who work weekends but would like to go out on the big girl, here's your chance. Cruises remaining for this week are Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30. Starting in April and running through June, we switch to our spring departure schedule of 9:30. Days of operation are Tuesday through Sunday, plus Monday holidays.

My Camp SEA Lab navigation class is this Saturday at Moss Landing Marine Labs. I am finally excited to get back to teaching it, now that I've slogged my way through re-formatting the work book. This is a task I have to do with every computer change and it proves I have gone through a lot of computers. Kids from middle school on up AND adults can sign up by calling Maile Sullivan at Camp SEA Lab at 831.582.5091.

We have a new feature on our signups for these updates on Talk to Us. For people who register to receive updates, there's a $10 discount toward the first reservations made. Just tell us your email address as registered. While it might seem this is the wrong format for spreading the news, it's not. A lot of you pass updates around like wildfire at work, begging the question just how far productivity has dropped with the advent of email. I frequently am told by a caller who says he or she is at work, "I just read ALL of your updates on the web site!" That would take hours. Oh well, at least you learned something, right? See you out there.

3/3/04: An Early Spring?
We got a good dose of the winter the past few weeks, complete with big winds and drenching downpours, so an early spring sounds pretty good to me. The signs are there, all right. Black-footed albatross, a few humpback whales and great big balls of bait on the depth sounder. All can be indications of an early spring.

Gray whale cows with calves leave the lagoons last. Now is the time of year when the whales that didn't calve this winter start making their way back north to their feeding grounds along with the males. Unimpregnated females may well end up pregnant on their journey since a good deal of mating takes place along the way.

Last year, we were treated to quite a spectacle when several mating whales came very close to the boat and were completely oblivious to the fact. This prompted us to answer the question, "How to whales mate?" by replying, "With great abandon!" And gusto. For a species that has nearly been wiped out twice by whalers, this is a very positive thing. They live in the moment and get on with it.

Spring will bring some interesting changes for us. We hired Don Laurino and Dave Reynolds last December. Both are licensed captains. Don has been in training to take over some of the cruises on Sanctuary and he also serves as mate aboard Princess of Whales. The only way to know all of the jobs in our company is to DO all of the jobs and Don has. He joins the ranks with Steph and me, having scrubbed heads, washed down boats, applied Relief Bands, cleaned up after seasick people, handled docklines, tended people during burials at sea, spotted whales and dolphins and driven boat.

While most captain candidates are hot to get their hands on the wheel, not too many declare, "I can't wait to wash down the boat!" or, "I'd sure like to stow more supplies." But they have to understand each job, know what to look for as their deckhand handles his or her duties, and at times, they need to pitch in. There are no prima donnas in the company, but there are a lot of talented people working to pull off the best trip possible every single day.

To say we can't do it alone is an understatement. So our job is to instill our way of doing things in our employees, but first they have to care enough to make it through the training. It's like handing your baby over to someone else; a lot of work goes into making sure it will be cared for as you'd do it. This includes finding someone who wants to do that job well.

Don will complete his training soon. In order to increase his knowledge, he has attended some of the training sessions put on by the Monterey Bay Aquarium for its volunteers. So has our deckhand Noel, who is also working toward his Master's license. In fact, Steph and I will join them for some of the upcoming sessions at the aquarium. They'll be taught by Steve Webster, one of the original members of the core team that started this amazing institution, just before he retires. There's no way we would miss this last chance.

Dave Reynolds plans to upgrade his license to qualify to run Sanctuary. He's a diver with a couple of solid years' experience in the Caribbean working for a dive company. He's also a marine biologist who worked with giant leatherback turtles. Most recently, he taught biology in Texas. The skills and interests he brings to our company are substantial, plus he has a ready smile and has turned the grill on Princess of Whales into a gleaming, silver beauty.

This may seem beneath a guy of his talents, but it proves he dives into all jobs with enthusiasm. In fact, that's the common thread between our entire crew, including Hillary, who has taken some time off to allow the guys to get more hours. With a young son to keep her running, she uses her time on the water to normalize. Also planning to sit for her license one of these days, she comes out anyway and gets some wheel time.

There is a warming trend for the weekend. Yeah, baby! The National Weather Service forecast for Monterey Bay is excellent the rest of the week, with light winds and calm seas the norm. Will we see some mating whales? Will the common dolphins make a showing? What about that pair of humpbacks spotted last week? Will they be gorging on some of those bait balls we've noted? More albatross? Well, I guess you just have to come out and see for yourself. See you out there.

2/24/04: Another Great Birthday Present!
The California gray whale migration is now northbound and their big numbers in our waters have made for long periods spent with whales, especially for the Taylors. This adventurous couple came all the way from England to see whales. To make sure they didn’t leave disappointed, they booked three days in a row. It was quite a Moss Landing affair, since they stayed at Captain’s Inn, the new B&B in the historic old Pacific Steamship Company building on Moss Landing Road.

Their first cruise was with Steph aboard Sanctuary and it featured the top of the food chain predators, killer whales. Not a bad start. They also saw gray whales and Risso’s dolphins on their next cruise aboard Sanctuary. Then on Saturday, I finally got to meet the Taylors in person, after many emails over the past few months.

The cruise was aboard Princess of Whales, which gave the couple the chance to compare the experience between the larger catamaran and smaller monohull. The grays were plentiful and since they kept detouring from their northbound course and heading for Moss Landing, we were able to spend a good deal of time with them. Everyone who was trying to photograph the whales had ample opportunity, which is certainly a goal we try for on all cruises, but don’t always get, nature being what it is.

So, which boat was the Taylor’s favorite? I wasn’t surprised when Steph said it was Sanctuary. They had bonded with Steph and our deckhands on those cruises. Plus, it’s a more intimate experience, being closer to the water and viewing the whales from that perspective. I felt let down for Princess, even though she garners most of the attention with her two decks, galley and bar, not to mention two hulls. Call it my Mother Complex; we want all of our kids to be appreciated all of the time.

The Taylors were gone by the time Sunday’s cruise rolled around and it also was on the catamaran. When we came across four gray whales that surfaced simultaneously and almost always on our left side, I commented to a young woman on the bow that she had the pole position.

It’s her birthday!” others in her party announced, once again cementing the female birthday/great whale sighting phenomenon we witness out there. Her name was Jackie and this cruise had been her idea.

What a treat; slow-moving, predictable and easy to photograph whales in tight formation were the order of the day. Not only that, but many passengers--even fairly experienced ones--remarked that they’d never heard a whale breathe in after the blow before. There is a haunting echo to the inhalation, after the outward blast made upon surfacing. Not a bad birthday present.

And the icing on the cake? Well, I’d have to say the four orcas we spotted just outside the jetties at Moss Landing on our way in would qualify as frosting. We swung around and got to cruise with them through two surfacings before calling it a (very good) day.

If you're planning a celebration of some sort, consider turning it into "A Whale of a Party." You make reservations for 10 people and pay for them on a Season's Pass. We will give you our best discount of 20% off all tickets, adults and kids. Then go to www.evite.com and whip up an email invitation for more friends and family. Be sure to include our URL (www.sanctuarycruises.com) so they can check our cruises out and explore the Information links on what to wear, how to prepare, etc. They call and make their own reservations, but by mentioning your Whale of a Party, they get the same great discount. If a birthday cake is involved, we will provide the plates, napkins and utensils and we'll even throw in a gift for the birthday kid (no age limit; I am living proof). It doesn't get any easier than this! See you out there.

2/18/04: Winter in California
Winter on the California coast isn’t like winter in Minnesota, Utah or North Dakota. We don’t have sub-zero temps, horrendous ice storms or anything heavier than the lighter snowfalls in higher elevations. But that doesn’t mean we escape winter unscathed.

For us, the villains of the dark months are big winds and rough seas, which usually visit us only sporadically and are occasionally joined by drenching downpours. These infrequent outbursts of nature are surrounded on both sides by days that would crush a northwesterner’s heart because they’re so clear, calm and pretty.

Right now, however, we are in the midst of what we simply have to admit is more like real WINTER, complete with rain, squalls, big swells and whatever else one can imagine that might put a serious damper on whale watching. We agonized over whether to cancel our trip on Presidents’ Day, but decided to do it since so many of our reservations were from folks who had to drive a several hours to get here. I was really looking forward to one large group of students from Italy that was coming with the Italian teacher at Burlingame High School. That would have been a hoot, but not with a really crappy bay.

Carolyn Herring wrote that she’s been having “nesting issues” and was cleaning like a banshee. She lives in Georgia, where they’ve had an especially cold winter, lending itself to such things. I am not really sure what a nesting issue is, but I suspect it’s a general dissatisfaction with one’s nest. If so, then sign me up. With 6 cats and two large, long-haired dogs, I think we would be better suited to living in a kennel, a place where you can just come in with a fire hose and clean the whole place in 15 seconds at 200 PSI.

I find my nesting issues take a hike when we can squeeze in a motorcycle ride, but the weather hasn’t been all that cooperative in that department. Even so, Steph and I managed to get out for a few hours yesterday and we cruised the back roads behind Moss Landing, around Elkhorn Slough. Dark skies threatened, but only a few raindrops splattered on us; it was worth it.

Here’s something we’ve never seen before: motorcycle cops waving as they go by. It has happened several times recently and it’s such a cheery sight! Bikers frequently wave to each other in passing with a low, outstretched hand, but the bike cops have all raised their hands high, more like you’d expect to see on a very lonely road after hours of seeing no one. I suppose it could be a signal to stop right there, but since no one has chased us, probably not.

Last week, I moseyed over to the California Highway Patrol office in King City while Steph was fueling the bikes. I asked for a suggestion of a restaurant for lunch, but while the desk officer was answering, I spotted a cool blue and gold sticker. Shaped like a badge, it said “Junior Officer.”

What’s this for?” I asked.

Kids who come in,” he replied.

Can I have one? I have a beautiful blue BMW and I’ll put it on my bike!”

He said yes; how could he not? That day, we got our first wave from a CHP bike cop. He couldn’t possibly have seen the sticker, but I think he might have just known.

As far as winter goes, the good news comes in two parts:

First, we need the rain and it has come down in buckets farther inland for days, as well as the last 12 hours here. Second, we are headed back toward the other winter, with sunshine and calm seas taking over once again. Both upcoming weekend days have positive forecasts, which means we will be able to shift from paperwork, boat maintenance and home cleaning projects back to whales, dolphins and whatever else appeals to the muse and decides to show itself to us. Just in time. See you out there.

2/4/04: Dueling Birthdays!
Does the name Girish ring a bell? Last year about this time, he put out an e-mail asking friends from the Stanford Outing Club if they'd like to join him for whale watching to celebrate his birthday. Quite a few folks did and we had a very cool day with whales and dolphins. Then Girish invited people to join him for a blue whale cruise last year and it was a terrific day with blues lunging out of the water. This year, he sent out the invitation to join him for the birthday cruise and all hell broke loose. He went from 20-30 to estimates of 60, 70, even 100!

We made both weekend days Girish days, extended his special price to the club members and friends and between the folks we already had reserved for the cruises and Girish's, we filled Princess of Whales. I couldn't help wondering after the boggling whale behavior and dolphins we saw on my birthday how Girish's would stack up. It is a happy dilemma contemplating if one's birthday is about to be upstaged by another one. It's all good, you know.

Saturday, the weather fell short of the forecast. It was fairly bumpy and made for a rough ride out. We did see our largest pod of common dolphins yet this winter and they cut quite the dashing figures out there surfing our wake, racing to the bows and doing somersaults out ahead of us. We also spotted a couple of whales and were able to see them several times before heading back to the harbor. It was a good day, but not a great one for people who know what can happen out there.

On Sunday, I threw down the gauntlet, teasing Girish to come up with something pretty cool to beat his last 2 cruises and my birthday. A very easy-going guy, he just laughed and said we would see. Conditions were far better than the day before and we found a sea of Risso's dolphins and more beyond Point Pinos. They were everywhere, along with Pacific white-sided dolphins. Girish was beside himself, as was a group of kids from Seven Trees Library. In fact, Helen Kahn, who organized this outing, was so excited and leaning so far over the bow that Steph jokingly offered her a wetsuit. Later, she said she'd have taken him up on it had he been serious.

Steph and I often have hunches on where we will see whales. He wanted to go farther out. I wanted to hug the shoreline. As he has said several times this winter, I seem to live inside the brains of gray whales because my instincts have been so accurate. We headed closer to shore and sure enough, picked up several whales.

Going south with them was tough. It was icy cold, there was a south wind blowing north against the southern current, whipping the water into stiff peaks. I wore my new fleece whale's tail cap and it's the only reason I didn't have an ear ache, something I have been plagued with in really cold winds the past few years, but even so I was relieved when we turned for home. As we did, the wind dropped and the water turned glassy.

Everyone was buzzing. It had been a fun-filled day. The bridge had a large number of people comparing digital photos, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Steve Johnston, who had come along as a very welcome additional naturalist. Nearing the Point, I spotted a blow. Then another. And another. And another! Just like last week, the whales were packed very close together. Then they sounded and we waited. After several minutes, two whales surfaced a quarter mile to the northwest of us. It could have been some of the whales we were watching, but we weren't sure. Steph decided to ease that way and just then, back up on top of the bridge, I saw our whales. I screamed.

"They're right in front of us!" I yelled. People on the bow would have landed on their backs had they jumped the rail, they were that close. The whales ascended ever so slowly to the surface in that ethereal blue-green glow, as though they knew this was a moment to savor. And we did.

It was perfect timing. I wrote a commentary piece for the Monterey Herald on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary's new guidelines for watching marine wildlife. It had come out that day. In it, I stressed that close sightings have to be the whales' choice, not ours. Operating a boat, one has to be ultra aware that these are wild animals and they can do whatever they please, even surfacing mere feet from the bows. Had Steph not been super attentive, we could have had a closer encounter than we or the whales might have wished.

We watched the whales for a few surfacings, then turned for Moss Landing again. Cruising the boat, I asked who got shots of the whales. One man said, "You screamed and I pushed the button on my camera!" What a team. Steve Johnston kindly agreed to e-mail some of his very nice shots to those who had missed the action. Again, what a team. Mindy Shaffner sent this shot from the week before. The sky was clearer, but it is very similar to what we saw last Sunday. We were all happily wrung out, including Girish. I would have to say we had a tie on our birthday gifts. Maybe next year, we'll turn this time into the Heidi and Girish's Birthday Extravaganza Week. See you out there.

2/2/04: I Sing the Spirit United
Ruth Vreeland died in a car accident last week and the loss is monumental. Ruth was my friend. She was warm, bubbly, outgoing, passionate and great fun. When we sat together at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary meetings, she often jabbed me in the ribs over something that was being said. She would scribble notes for me to read. She'd whisper comments if I was too slow responding with my pen, which tickles me to remember, since Ruth was a teacher for many years before retiring.

Retiring. HA! Other than not going to Monte Vista Elementary each school morning any more, there was nothing about Ruth that was retiring. She was a City Council person for the City of Monterey for 20 years and she gave freely of her time to make it shine. She lived full tilt boogie and gave everyone she came in contact with a natural high. Her thoughtful gestures were endless and we all benefitted from them: When there was an article in the newspaper about biodiesel, Ruth clipped it and brought it to me since she knew we use it in our vessels. When we took Ruth and her grandson Jake for a little harbor cruise one day, she sent us a package of framed photographs from the trip. Her daughter Melissa has the same shots on her refrigerator.

When Ruth and many of her kids and grandkids joined Steph for a whale watching cruise, she emailed a marvelous stream-of-consciousness note to us afterward. Her emails were unusual for a former teacher. Punctuation consisted mostly of a series of dots between thoughts which were logged rapid-fire. Ruth shone through in those messages with all of the power of the sun. When I go through the site and add new things, I also cull some of the older items. But that email remains in "Talk to Us" because it is timeless. It always makes me smile. Here it is:

1/5/02: Oh Boy!
My family was estatic..........kids are wearing their shirts and planning what they are going to write in their journals....Colette said that she will have to write about 80 pages about her expereince in her school Journal...Jake is already planning to tell his teacher (a great guy) all the ins and outs of whale watching...in addition to the spectacular experience of boating in and with the dolphins!!!!!!!!! What a day...the baby even tried to tell her daddy about the BOAT! The dolphins were her joy! Steph was great in his guidance of the education ...my college grads were impressed.... The discussions from the bridge were great...the supportive teammates were super...Educational...special...fun...family togetherness...what a day...wish I could find words like my friend Heidi can find to express excitement and joy...

Thanks for the Memories until we meet again.................love...Ruth
[Ruth Vreeland is a great City Council member for Monterey!]

After her death, I learned that my experiences with Ruth were hardly unique. A flurry of emails connected many of the people who loved her, but didn't know each other. Everyone reported the same thing. To each of us, she was our champion. She was the friend, mother or sister who says, "You go, Girl!" and encourages greatness. She was a unifying spirit in a world that so badly needs it.

It was luck of the draw that I didn't work on the days Ruth went whale watching with us. If reservations weren't high enough to warrant running Princess of Whales, I stayed home and did paperwork, which is never really done. She raved over Steph and our crew and assured me we would get our day together on the Monterey Bay when it was right.

Ruth did not want a funeral, but there was a huge celebration in her honor last Saturday. Hundreds gathered at "Window on the Bay," the shoreline park Ruth helped create, to share their Ruth stories. I am sorry to have missed it, but business owners are sometimes owned by their businesses. It was a Princess of Whales day and only Steph and I run her. Ruth's promise that we'd cruise on the Bay will come true, but with a twist. Later, when the family is all here, we will take them out to cast Ruth's ashes into the sparkling waters she loved and protected. Maybe you think it will be without her hearty laughter, but it won't. I know this, because I hear it still.

It will be such an honor to be captain of this final voyage for my friend. See you out there.

1/28/04: Guess What I Got for My Birthday?
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary has created a badly needed marine wildlife viewing handbook which will be released soon. Steph and I are thrilled because it will help people understand nature needs to be approached on its terms, not ours. As we explain to folks on our cruises, there is no glory in racing up to a whale so someone can get a trophy photograph.

We make slow and gentle approaches and maintain a respectful distance from the animals. If we are to experience a close sighting, it has to be the animal’s choice. If that happens, we should view it as a gift, because that’s what it is.

Well! Guess what I got for my birthday?

It was January 24th and we had all sorts of people join us for the cruise. Joan Ungs brought 15 women and their mates from King City. She’d never been out with us, but she liked our web site. Matt Brower, who organizes recreational outings for UCSC, brought a bunch of students out on what has become an annual event. Annie Handford and her family found our web site, fell in love with the stories of how we work and so they booked two trips. That in itself isn’t unusual, but the fact they came from Minnesota just for these whale watching cruises sure is.

I told quite a few people as they booked for this day that it was my birthday. We often have exceptional experiences when females are celebrating their birthdays, but January is a great time for southbound gray whales anyway. I was expecting a grand time.

The day of the cruise dawned rainy, cold and dark. I had just completed my first fleece hat that has a long top that ends in a big whale’s tail, so I wore it. It was really cute, but it was the prototype, in red and navy. The hot pink number that would be mine was still in pieces over at Monterey Bay Embroidery. Barry had tried to embroider the headband with a fantastic nine color design I had created for our baseball caps, but my last minute request was just a little too last minute.

In his great, live rendition of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” Bruce Springsteen laments, “How is it I’m ‘The Boss’ and I get stuck carrying the amps?” I felt a little like that as I boarded Princess of Whales and prepared for the trip. I have to work on my birthday, no hot pink cap; at least the rain stopped.

Then the sky began to lighten. Our cheerful crew bustled around and the boat was ship shape early. Steph put on some music. As I greeted our passengers, my mood had already improved and as one person after another blurted out, “Happy Birthday!” I figured the tide had turned.

It was Steph’s turn to drive, so I poured a cup of coffee and climbed on top of the bridge to look for whales. I enjoyed my perch and the increasing patches of blue above us. Then the sun won the battle completely and we were surrounded by diamonds on the water. Several miles out, we found Risso’s dolphins, hundreds and hundreds of them. The Minnesota folks had seen a handful of Risso’s on their previous cruise, but nothing like this!

There were several jumpers and I caught shot after shot of them. If we saw nothing more than this, the day was complete. But a cluster of gray whales just north of us kept catching our eyes. When they surfaced, they were so close together, it looked as though one whale had eight or ten blowholes. We had to check them out. We worked to the north and waited. Nothing. The whales hadn’t moved much at all between surfacings before we went their way, so we told everyone to be patient.

Suddenly Jack Cain, one of our regulars and a good friend, yelled out, “OH MY GOD!” I looked down at the bow and saw a whale just twenty feet below the boat. It eased up and over and was followed by another. And another. And another! As the whales came up to breathe, they encircled our boat in a baleen ballet and complete pandemonium exploded on deck. People with cameras pushed buttons and clicked away in a steady stream of motor drives. As the whales changed sides, so did the passengers. Then the whales dove and again, we waited.

Was this a one time drive by? Would we see them a quarter mile away next? Three minutes passed. Four. Five. Then, we saw that gorgeous blue green glow as they rose from the depths and did it again. “WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!” There were six gray whales swimming around us just feet away, almost as one. We’d been given a fantastic gift and many people declared they are going out with us every year on my birthday.

As I was writing this, I learned of the death of Ruth Vreeland. She was my great buddy. She loved the ocean and its creatures and she fought for them. Her death was as painful a blow as the gray whales’ gift was a joy. Next update, I will tell you about my friend. See you out there.

We DID get our embroidered caps and they are stunning. We also have gorgeous women's shirts with the new embroidered design and our fleece whale's tail hats are ready as well. It was a very long wait, but Barry and Rina at Monterey Bay Embroidery did a great job, as you will see on the boats. I will get them into the Store on our web site soon. Really.

Get involved!

Guidelines for water-based viewing are posted below. Check out the whole handbook draft online at: sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/library/national/ww_handbook.pdf and consider attending the Marine Wildlife Viewing Workshop where the handbook will be unveiled. Presented by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the workshop will be held February 5, 2004 from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. It's at the Best Western Beach Resort, which is located on Canyon Del Rey at Highway 1 in Seaside.

Target participants include recreational and commercial boaters, kayaking shops and guides, dive shops and dive vessel operators, whale watching vessels/sightseeing vessels, volunteers, naturalists and small aircraft operators. Interested members of the general public are also invited to attend.

All participants are asked to RSVP to attend the meeting. For more information on the workshop or to RSVP, please contact Michele Roest, NOAA Monterey Bay Sanctuary (805) 927-2145 or michele.roest@noaa.gov or

Heather Cauldwell, NOAA Monterey Bay Sanctuary (831) 647-4201 or
heather.cauldwell@noaa.gov

From the handbook:
[Not just marine mammals deserve a break on the water. We see giant leatherback turtles that have shells six feet long. These creatures can live 50 or more years and are extremely endangered.]

Guidelines Specific to Water-Based Viewing:

Remain at least 100 yards (300 ft) away from whales and established pinniped rookeries/haulouts.

Remain at least 50 yards away from marine animals including dolphins, porpoises, pinnipeds, sea otters and free swimming turtles.

Marine mammals and sea turtles should not be encircled or trapped between vessels, or between vessels and shore.

Avoid following behind or directly approaching in front of the animal(s). Vessels should attempt to parallel an animal's course, not operate at speeds faster than the animal(s) and maintain a constant speed.

When several vessels are in an area, communicate with other vessel operators to minimize disturbance to marine mammals. Wait your turn from a distance and then approach cautiously after other vessels have left the area.

If approached by a marine mammal or sea turtle, stop paddling or put the engine in neutral and allow the animal to pass. Do not engage propellers until the animal(s) are observed at the surface and clear of the vessel.

Should dolphins or porpoises choose to ride the bow wave of your vessel, reduce speed gradually as necessary and avoid sudden course changes.

When entering/leaving marine mammal or sea turtle habitat, post a look out, reduce speed and be cautious. marine animals may surface at unpredictable locations.

Non-motorized vessels, such as kayaks, may especially startle marine animals that may not be aware of the vessel's presence.

Do not closely approach a marine mammal or sea turtle when swimming or diving.

Do not feed, touch, ride or swim with marine mammals or sea turtles.

1/23/04: Gray Whales & Hats with Tails
Last week, we had an eclectic group of kids and adults join us for one of our cruises. They're the Bonny Doon Rangers and the head wizard who orchestrates their outings is Tony Hoffman. Tony takes them camping, hiking, exploring and swimming, so whale watching was a natural for them.

We had three gray whales surface close together, well in from the area we usually see them cross the Monterey Bay. Often, they surfaced at almost the same time, with the lag helping people who missed the first whale--or the first AND second--snap a photo. We got good looks at their unique markings. One had an oblong scar perhaps 8" across, at the top of its back, just below its spine. This got me to thinking. We often see a scar in just this place, in the area that's highest when the back is arched.

I wonder if perhaps the whales have been dinged by the small outboard motor props in the lagoons of Baja. The whales show what's called friendly behavior in the lagoons, swimming right up to the Mexican pangas to have their mouths rubbed, they're stroked, patted and kissed by people and present their babies with a boost from underneath the calf to propel it up to the passengers of the small boats. It's possible that at times, a whale gets too close to a prop and gets dinged. But if this is the cause, I doubt the operator is at fault. The guys down there have a pretty good reputation for being careful and respecting the animals' space.

What else could cause such a similar scar for size and shape? They do rub on pilings--and even vessels in open waters sometimes--but that involves more of their sides, not the high back. Well! It's something to ponder. Put it on that long list of things whales don't tell us.

We let all of the kids drive the boat on the way back in, Rangers and the rest of our passengers, and it came to me that as each kid wraps his or her grubby little sticky fingers around that big wheel, they're suddenly transported on a magic carpet ride. It is a moment of infinite possibility, when they sense they can be and do great things. Even the parents got in on the magic, asking if they could drive, too. There is a certain charm to a 35 year old woman, mother of two, giggling as she grasps the wheel and looks out over her kingdom.

I don't like the paperwork I have to deal with in our business. I hate the taxes, hassles such as comparing insurance policies (a very big ticket item so it bears constant scrutiny) and the fact that I am tied to a computer too many hours of each day and days of each week. It frustrates me that I can't split my week between running boats and riding motorcycles, a sentiment shared by Steph! But when I step on board one of our boats, instruct our deckhands to cast off and I engage the engines, my magic carpet ride has begun. Suddenly, all of the flotsam in the office portion of my job wafts away. So every time one of our passengers catches that same excitement I feel, that day has been well-lived and worthwhile for me.

We gave Tony and his Rangers something cool and we got something very neat in return: a design. Tony went to Patagonia to see the right whales. He brought back a couple of fleece hats with long tops that flop over behind the hat and end in a beautiful whale's tail. They look a little like a jester's hat, which sets the tone nicely for our cruises. They are fluffy and cozy warm. We hadn't even gotten back to the harbor before I'd traced the design, made a few notes to make it better and vowed to have them available on our boats within two weeks.

I am now on our fourth embroidery company traying to get our caps and women's T-shirts embroidered with a new, very colorful logo. I owned T-shirt stores for over 13 years and I know this business pretty well, but it has been one snag after another getting my design to fabric. Yesterday, Steph and I met with embroiderer #4 to approve the stitch out. WE LOVED IT. I separated our box of caps into 4 divisions for color combinations such as yellow bleeding into golds, a series of blues, a way-too-conservative-for-me version that is mostly black and one in pinks. We were almost out the door.

Then the embroiderer showed me another set of thread colors in a fantastic, brilliant mylar. Steph smiled and said, "Barry, you don't know what you've done." I snatched the card, went outside to see the colors at their brightest and picked these marvelous watery blues and aquas that shimmer like diamonds. I added a cotton candy pink. Forget the regular pinks, this set is hot. However, we just don't know if this stuff will work or not. Rumor has it that it's difficult to stitch. More snags, so to speak?

I also provided the embroiderer with some headbands for our first whale's tail fleece hats, so they can be embroidered prior to assembly. Cross your fingers, we may just have some onboard this weekend, which is our goal. But then again, so was October, November, December and early January.

Much as driving boat and working with people who get a sense of the wonders out there feeds my soul, so does creating new things. It brings me back to my roots and this happened in an interesting way as I set about to make these hats. When my mom died, I inherited her sewing machine. We've been so busy, it has sat dormant in the garage, but last night we brought it up.

So much of Mom is in those drawers. There are gold mylar star appliques, bottles of squeeze fabric paints in wild colors. There's a bag of balloons. There are several screwdrivers. Mom shaped her world with screwdrivers and at least one was usually close at hand, along with needlenose pliers. I have an hysterical story about Mom at the airport when security screeners pulled out her needlenose pliers and asked what they were for, but I'll leave it alone. As she always said, "Leave something to the imagination."

There is a small pastry brush, which she used to clean the machine. There is an excellent calculator that adds the last item every time the plus sign is punched, an essential for bookkeeping with many items at the same price (Mom was a bookkeeper, but don't let that fool you. She is also the person who said, when I brought home a boyfriend twice my age, "It's one thing when you're 18 and he's 36, but do you realize when you're 50, he'll be one hundred?"). There is a large tool used to attach rhinestones and studs to fabric. There's a basket filled with bobbins. These were Mom's essentials and proof that I am my mother's daughter, since I viewed the cache as valuable loot.

I used the machine a few times when Mom was alive and she was pleased I agreed it had a nice feel to it. It was solid, smooth and well-designed. We had always shared that connection with sewing machines. An antique treadle was our sewing machine when I was a kid and all of us learned to sew on it. Mom antiqued the oak veneer cabinet with a pasty celery green paint in the 50's and by the 70's, when she passed it onto me, I couldn't understand why she did that. The look has come and gone a few times, but that old machine is still here. Too bad it can't zigzag.

This weekend, our cruises will be aboard Princess of Whales both days. Saturday is my birthday. Born in '52, turning 52. Hmm... In case you were wondering what I'd like, here it is: I would like donations to either the SPCA of Monterey County or Animal Friends Rescue Service. If you make reservations for a cruise, we will donate $5 off each ticket to the organization of your choice. All you need to do is tell us when you make reservations. We will charge $5 less per person and you will bring a check made out to the group you select for the donation portion of your ticket. This offer is good for Saturday or Sunday, so round up some friends, come see the grays in the central coast portion of the longest migration of any mammal on earth and support the organizations that help animals when they need it most. Can it get any better than that? See you out there.

1/14/04: Prime Time for Gray Whales!
The best known whales on Monterey Bay are the gray whales. This is because, unlike species that come here to feed from distant waters, the grays pass by close to shore all along the coast from the Bering Sea to Baja. These days, we field phone calls from people who ask, "Are they all gone yet?" or, "What is the best day to go see them?" A bit naive, but their timing is excellent.

This is the time, now into early February, for truly spectacular numbers of California gray whales. Although one whale is thrilling, there have been many times recently when we've seen whales for miles and been able to check out many individuals. Dolphins have also been showing themselves in good numbers. Pacific white-sided dolphins have been on the bay, but not many common dolphins have arrived yet. They are our winter dolphins, along with Risso's, which we have seen many times recently. Same thing with Dall's porpoises. You name it, you might see it. Even orcas are a strong possibility.

We have plenty of room on the next few weeks' cruises, but some days are booking pretty fast; if you have a day in mind, it would be a good idea to call soon. Princess of Whales will transport us to the world of flippers and flukes both days this coming weekend as well as the next. For those of you who are interested in the more intimate setting on Sanctuary, more of the weekdays' cruises will be on her. We usually run Tuesdays through Sundays, but we are offering cruises on Martin Luther King Day (Monday, 1/21), so we won't run the following Tuesday.

Coming up February 8th, we have our Annual Winter Cruise for supporters of Long Marine Labs at UCSC and Seymour Center. This is also an open-cruise day. You don't have to be a supporter or make a donation, but if you want to, it's a fun way to do it. Details will follow on that cruise in the next update.

So, pick your day and give us a call to make reservations (831.643.0128). Want to save a bundle on tickets? Buy a Season's Pass for $320.00 and you will get 10 tickets which can be used any day, for any cruise.

For those of you who have made this a right of winter, it will be a fond reunion with the barnacle-encrusted giants. For those of you who have never been whale watching, it will be your induction into a charmed circle. See you out there.

1/6/04: The Gray Whales Are Rockin'!
Heading across the Monterey Bay, looking for the first spouts of migrating gray whales, I was jazzed. Not only is this one of my rites of passage into winter, but we had some special people on board to whom we owed a debt of gratitude.

Jonathan Levine and his son, Jordan, were there and they’re seasoned pros. They’ve seen humpbacks and blue whales with us in the summer and they have a grand time on the water. Jonathan is an agent for Monterey Peninsula Artists, one of the best booking agencies in the country. They handle such diverse acts as The Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt and Joan Baez. It was on Jonathan’s recommendation that the Dead’s Phil Lesh brought his family out with us and they also had a great time, encouraging others in the band to follow suit.

Jimmy Herring is a guitarist who has played with several bands including the Allman Brothers. He joined Phil Lesh and Friends a few years ago and it was an easy match because he and Phil are gentle souls, nothing like you’d expect from rock and roll stars. Recently, Jimmy was invited to become a permanent member of the Dead, which played two enormous concerts at the Oakland Coliseum December 30th and 31st. Jimmy decided to bring his family out from Georgia for the gigs and to explore California. His wife Carolyn did a little inter-band research on things to do and see out here and was told, “You have to go whale watching with Sanctuary Cruises!”

The day she called, she didn’t bother to tell me who she was, just that they were coming all the way from Georgia and they really wanted to see whales. We talked for over 20 minutes about everything from places to stay to sights not to be missed such as the Big Sur coast. Then she mentioned who she is and that Jonathan Levine had referred her. I’d have pulled out all my special ideas except that I already had, so we just chattered away about the logistics of their trip.

Jonathan has offered us tickets for a concert, but Steph and I rarely get out and if we do, it’s to go camping. We decided to splurge and hit the New Year’s Eve Dead concert. The last time I saw them live, I was still cutting school, which gives you an idea of how long ago that was. For his Christmas present, we flew Steph’s 25 year old son Ryan down from Portland. Ry is a big fan of The Grateful Dead; what could top backstage passes, rubbing elbows with the likes of Bill Walton (a long-time Dead-Head) and seeing in the New Year with his dad and stepmother? That’s the magic of the Dead; they attract three full generations of fans and often, they go to concerts together.

We didn’t meet the Herrings until they got down here. Carolyn charged down the steps of Bernardus Lodge and gave me a big hug, declaring, “I feel like I know you already!” echoing my sentiments. Their kids, Cameron and Carter, were every bit as warm and genuine and when Jimmy ambled out, we could see the whole family is cut from the same cloth. Polite, thoughtful and interested in everything. A dinner at Summerhouse with them and Jonathan was three hours of animated discussions ranging from guitars (of course), to fishing, The Nature Channel, whales of all kinds, teaching, piano lessons, navigation and hysterical stories about the rock and roll industry.

What was especially gratifying for us was what Ryan took in. There's a lot of talk about family values, much of it spoken with forked tongue. Ryan was introduced to a lot of high profile people who take their kids' needs and interests as seriously as their own. It is refreshing to see and the result of their nurturing is obvious in the kids' down home attitudes.

When they all stepped aboard our boat, it was our turn to deliver the goods. Jimmy’s an old salt, but we put Relief Bands on his family to make sure they did well on the moderate swell. They all sat on the bow and were giddy beyond belief. Carolyn had her video camera ready to roll. When Jonathan spotted the first whale, they squealed along with the rest of our passengers at the distant sighting. They were in awe at the amazing creature before them, just as Ryan had been at the concert. When we fell in with several whales packed close together and they paralleled us nearby, their barnacle-covered bodies glowing beneath the surface as they rose to breathe, every one of the Herrings was spellbound.

Later, I asked Carolyn whether she got good video. Smiling, she shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. But I got it.” She patted her heart. She had indeed gotten it. They all had. Whether it’s discovering kindred spirits through music or through nature, good souls run deep. See you out there.

12/26/03: Send This Year Out in Style!
It has been a breath-taking year for us, filled with new adventures, sweeping changes & challenging directions. We've had our hands full and feel pretty good with how it's all gone. However, Fluke just experienced another episode of a vestibular syndrome that affects older dogs. It's an inner ear imbalance that caused her to lose her balance and twisted her to one side. She was unable to walk, couldn't hold her head up straight and was pretty much out of it thanks to muscle relaxants prescribed by her vet.

I went through this with Pearl--a great little French bulldog I had for years--and it's a traumatic thing for everyone. It can be in its acute stages for several days and is scary, especially if you don't know what it is. I've heard of other dogs that were put down because their vets were ignorant about it and insisted the dog had a brain tumor. I figured it was worth mentioning, since so many of you are animal lovers as well.

This syndrome can also show up in younger animals that develop an infected ear due to a foxtail or other irritant in it. It just takes time to get through it. We made Fluke comfortable and luckily, were able to be home to care for her. The muscle relaxants helped loosen tight muscles. Then, as the problem subsided, they were replaced by meclizine, which is the active ingredient in anti-seasickness preparations. Although this episode lasted longer, Fluke took a turn for the better just before Christmas and was able to go for some nice walks with us and Rumba to catch up on the sniffs. A slight tilt to her head is all that remains of the illness, making for a great Christmas present for all of us.

For all of you who complained that Rumba wasn't on our rack cards, I'm happy to report this picture graces the new ones in production now. Judy Anderson and I collaborated on them and they're very cool. Notice both dogs have a little blush on. They insisted.

There were other bright spots. Steph went up to the Northwest a few weeks ago to spend time with his kids and 5 1/2 year old granddaughter Kaitlin. He had a marvelous time with all of them. Imagine his surprise to find Kaitlin and I share an intense affection for glitter, hot pink AND purple. He fell under her spell and bought her a Barbie umbrella, they went to see "The Cat in the Hat" together and they planned her visit to see us next summer, which is when she plans to, "Decorate the boats!" I thought I had done a pretty good job here at Glitter Central, but it can't possibly stand up to the scrutiny of a 5 year old, going on 6, no less.

The gray whale migration is gathering steam. Our beloved barnacle-encrusted whales are back. They're the whales we started working with here for our project "In the Path of Giants" and they fall into the "Who's to Bless & Who's to Blame" category for how we started Sanctuary Cruises. We owe them a lot, but then again, we've given them a lot. Along with our winter whales, we also see orcas and dolphins. Common dolphins are our winter dolphins and they can sometimes be seen in the thousands. It all adds up to a great way to shake off a little cabin fever.

We canceled today's trip after scrutinizing the weather forecast and real-time buoy reports, factoring in the effect of strong runoff from the rains plus a minus tide at low water. This disappointed some people, but they understood and appreciated our honesty. None of them would have appreciated being out there today. For those who could re-schedule, some of whom are staying at grand places such as the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, it meant a morning of lounging and enjoying the season. Plus, tomorrow's weather is going to be far better than today's and we will have a great time. See you out there!