Looking for a new spin on an educational expedition? How about whale watching? Here is a brief tutorial on how to get started, resources, locations, citizen science projects, and some other special topics for kids.
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I have blogged periodically about bird and other animal watching with kids, but one subject that I haven't written about yet is whale watching. The primary reason for this lapse in blogging is because... well.... I don't know much about it. Using the magic of the World Wide Web I was able to contact some people who actually know quite a bit about the subject (credits below).
The product of that discussion is here for all to enjoy.
Whale Watching: Background and Getting Started.
Whale watching as an organized activity began in the early 1950's in San Diego when people began to visit Cabrillo National Monument to observe the migration of Gray Whales. In New England, organized whale watching gained traction in the mid 1980's but instead of the Grey Whale (extinct in the Atlantic), the Humpback whales are a focus of attention. To find out what species are near your geographical location, go here.
Where the Whales are: Whale Watching Locations
Humpbacks feed in the Gulf of Main from late April to September. In the winter months they travel south to the Caribbean to feed and calf.
Gray Whales travel north to south between October and January. They are usually seen in California around mid-December to early January. They begin to return North in March to mid April.
A simple Google search for whale watching at an east or west coast location will pull up numerous commercial whale watching tours. If you do decide to charter a boat, find a reputable company associated with organizations like WWF, or groups actively engaged in research such as CRESLI or Allied Whale.
While there are some places where you can watch whales from shore in New England, a boat tour that will carry you out to the banks and ledges where the whales feed is recommended. If you plan to watch whales from shore in California, here are some recommended locations:
MacKerricher State Park
Bodega Head
Point Reyes National Seashore
Chimney Rock
Muir Beach Overlook
Point Bonita
Julia Pfiefer Burns State Park
San Simeon State Park
Point Dume State Beach
Cabrillo National Monument
Resources for Whale Watching:
On the web:
Journey North: Gray Whale tracking.
Center For Coastal Studies: A research group from Provincetown Mass.
Whale Center of New England: A humpback research group.
Allied Whale: Holds the catalogue for whale identification.
Gray Whale Census: Surveying the northbound migration of gray whales
The Marine Mammal Center: Marine Mammal Information
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute: Underwater maps of Monterey Bay.
Ocean Alliance: Videos, audio, and scientific reports.
It is a good idea to read up on the whales you are watching. Here are some guidebooks to get you started:
On the trail of the whale
Whale Watcher: A Global Guide to Watching Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises, in the Wild
Citizen Science Whale Watching Projects:
The term citizen science is a used to describe a research project where volunteers help scientists collect data. Citizen science projects are an almost perfect complement to any educational expedition. If you are planning to watch humpback whales and have a camera, the Flickr.com humpbackflukes group uses photos uploaded to Flickr to build a catalogue of humpback whales and track their activity.
Photo: Humpback fluke, credit: ahisgett via flickr.com
Special Tips for Whale Watching with Kids:
Dress right, wear warm clothes in layers, bring sunscreen, and if you are going to be on a boat wear some rubber or slip proof shoes.
"The perfect whale-watcher, we decided has 360 degree vision (since the whales can appear anywhere, even if you see them dive, they can change direction under water), 3 legs (for stability on a rocking boat) and 4 arms (two to hold your camera steady, one to hold on to the rail of the boat, and one to hold your hat on when the wind picks up!"
-Tim Ellis
If you aren't watching whales from shore, be prepared for motion sickness. Stay out on deck, sit in the center of the boat and focus on the horizon, and bring a supply of Dramamine. There are also some alternative cures for seasickness that include pressure point bracelets, ginger pills, and or ginger ale.
Special Credits:
As I mentioned earlier, I got a lot of help with this post from the people at the All Whales Discussion forum on Flickr.com. Specifically, Yeimaya, Tim Ellis, and Nikki and Jason. If you like, you can read the full thread here.