[cinc] Re: Gray Whale Migration story

From: Bob Perry <mr.zalophus@xxxxxxxxx>
To: cinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, 29 Feb 2020 10:23:44 -0800

Bravo, Shirley!
Bob Perry

On Sat, Feb 29, 2020 at 9:41 AM Paul Petrich <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Collegues,
Here is the SB Independent  story in the current issue featuring one of
our own!

By Brian Osgood <https://www.independent.com/author/brian-osgood/>
Sun Feb 23, 2020 | 10:30pm

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Each year, gray whales make a 12,000-mile journey between the temperate
climes of Baja California to their feeding grounds in the frigid waters of
Alaska. During this trip, one of the longest migrations in the animal
kingdom, they pass through the waters of the Santa Barbara coast.

On a sunny Friday afternoon aboard the Santa Barbara Sailing Center’s *Double
Dolphin* (where, for the sake of transparency, I worked as a crewmember
during the summers of my college years), with the hills of the Mesa in the
background, we happen across one of these magnificent creatures. Passengers
file back and forth from one side of the vessel to the other, trying to
guess where the whale will emerge next. When it does, preceded by a spout
of mist, murmurs float up from the crowd, and the sense of awe is shared by
everyone from children to their parents.

These magnificent creatures can reach 45 feet in size, and seeing them on
the ocean is an experience that’s difficult to grasp until you’ve seen it
for yourself. Because they’re a particularly coastal species of whale, gray
whales are easier to see out on the water than more elusive, deep-water
whales. In Santa Barbara, gray whale migration season lasts from
mid-February to mid-May, and opportunities to see these creatures up close
and personal abound.

“Seeing these animals out in their natural habitat, up close and personal,
is really something you have to experience yourself to fully appreciate,”
says Skip Abed, the owner of the Santa Barbara Sailing Center. “It’s a
great way to get out on the water and appreciate the beauty of what we have
here in Santa Barbara.”

Out on the Double Dolphin, Shirley Johnson, a volunteer from NOAA who
provides passengers with information about the sea life they come across,
says the trips are also a way to promote education and awareness. “Santa
Barbara is a unique place because of the diversity of its marine life,”
says Johnson, who has been volunteering on such trips since 2006. “It’s
great for people to come see for themselves. If you don’t know about it,
how can you love it? And if you can’t love it, how can you protect it?”

On top of the wildlife, being out on the water is a great way to see the
natural beauty of Santa Barbara from a different perspective than you get
on land. “The contrast of the mountains and the ocean is really beautiful,”
says Katie Cassity, who is visiting from Salt Lake City. “It’s cool we saw
a few whales. They make you feel so small!”

Out on the water, we also come across huge pods of dolphins, who playfully
surf the wake of the boat, much to the passenger’s delight. “Things got
litty,” says Anthony Spann, a student from Chapman (yes, he’s in a frat)
out with his girlfriend, Lisa, for Valentine’s Day.

With an abundance of whale-watching opportunities, it’s easy to forget
that the ecosystem is a fragile thing. At one point, due to the excesses of
a rapacious whaling industry, gray whales came close to annihilation. But
thanks to conservation efforts and protective laws, the gray whale was
removed from the endangered species list in 1994.

Now, Coal Oil Point functions as an observation point for Gray Whale
Count, a nonprofit made of volunteers who keep an eye out for the massive
creatures as they lumber northward. They then use that information to keep
track of the numbers of whales making the trip each year. The global
population is estimated to be between 24,000-26,000.

Dana Johnson, who has been a captain on the *Double Dolphin* for years,
said that the trips, on top of being fun, are a positive way for people to
connect with the natural beauty of the ecosystem right in their backyard.
On our way back to the harbor, Johnson and his crew stopped the boat to
fish a wayward balloon out of the ocean. “Don’t let this be you, folks.
Throw away your balloons!” he said over the loudspeaker. It’s a subtle
reminder of our collective responsibility as stewards of the ocean that
gives our community more than we can repay. “See it, experience it, feel
the environment out here,” said Johnson. “Connect with what a special thing
we have here, and do your part to protect it.”
Add to Favorites
Brian Osgood

Paul Petrich Jr
ppetrich39@xxxxxx
“In the end it is not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in
your years.”…Anonymous

References:
- [cinc] Gray Whale Migration story
  - From: Paul Petrich

[cinc] Re: Gray Whale Migration story

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