Tagging Whales in the Antarctic Seas

April 21 - June 11, 2009

The Long Trip Home — by Douglas Nowacek — posted Jun 17, 2009

After an amazingly successful cruise, thoughts turned to homes, friends and families – though we had many miles to travel to get to them.      comments (3)

Gerlache Strait (Sun., 6/7/09) - Coming Home! — by Ari Friedlaender — posted Jun 08, 2009

What does it mean when mostly sane people strip down, show off their serious need for a tan, and jump into frigid water when you leave?      comments (2)

Port Lockroy (Fri., 6/5/09) - Let the Party Commence — by Reny Tyson — posted Jun 05, 2009

With all of our science completed, the MISHAP team woke today ready to p.a.r.t.y!     

Lockroy Station (Thurs., 6/4/09) - A super happy something or other — by Chance Miller — posted Jun 05, 2009

So today was Andy Read’s birthday. What a mess that was.     

Gerlache Strait (Wed., 6/3/09) - Thoughts towards the voyage home — by Elliott Hazen — posted Jun 04, 2009

Now, over fifty days later we’ve seen some of the densest aggregations of humpback whales ever recorded...      comments (4)

Wilhelmina Bay (Mon., 6/1/09) - A fond farewell to Wilhelmina Bay — by Dave Johnston — posted Jun 03, 2009

June 1 was the last day of major operations in Wilhelmina Bay, our most frequented portion of the study area, and the place with the biggest signal to noise ratio of life I have ever seen.      comments (1)

Wilhelmina Bay (Sun., 5/31/09) - Hiiii Wayne! Hiii-iii--iiiiiii!! — by Alison Stimpert — posted Jun 01, 2009

Humpback tagging from the whale's perspective....      comments (3)

Wilhelmina Bay (Fri., 5/29/09) - A Delightful Snowy Day — by Lindsey Peavey — posted May 30, 2009

In hand: snowballs. Note to self: Get revenge.      comments (2)

Wilhelmina Bay (Thurs., 5/28/09) - Nature Red in Tooth and Claw — by Andy Read — posted May 29, 2009

Another tag on today in a bay full of whales and a spectacular sighting of a leopard seal eating a Gentoo penguin.      comments (4)

Palmer (Sun., 5/24/09) - An Icy Night becomes a SNOW DAY!! — by Chance Miller and Doug Nowacek — posted May 25, 2009

Time to explore a new area - so we pushed on to Charlotte Bay, just to the northeast of where we'd been working. Turns out Charlotte was pretty full of ice as well as whales...      comments (1)

Errera Channel (Thurs., 5/21/09) - Don't Distract Us from the Scenery — by Ari Friedlaender — posted May 22, 2009

As we cruised passed Cuverville Island, we could see the tell-tale signs of penguins hauling out and resting on the snow. As one of the observers noted, it was a good thing there weren't many whales to distract us from the scenery.     

Andvord Bay (Wed., 5/20/09) - The ice is getting thick and the minke whales are getting playful... — by Pat Halpin — posted May 21, 2009

While the science was going right on schedule, the highlight of the day was an unanticipated visit from an extremely curious minke whale.      comments (4)

Piccard Cove (Tues., 5/19/09) – Just Another “Normal” Day in the Antarctic — by Reny Tyson — posted May 21, 2009

I am humbled to be a part of this experience and am continuously amazed at how a “normal” day for us here in the Antarctic is an extraordinary day in each and every one of our lives.      comments (1)

Palmer (Mon., 5/18/09) - We're Surrounded By Antarctica — by Elliott Hazen — posted May 19, 2009

...brash ice with two southern fulmars on ice bits off the port side, whales on three sides of us, penguins honking about 200 meters away, and glaciers calving 2-3 kilometers away....      comments (1)

Andvord Bay (Sun., 5/17/09) - Orcas!!! — by Dave Johnston — posted May 18, 2009

Today brought us into contact with our first killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the trip. Ari spotted them traveling northeast along the Gerlache, and thanks to a little luck, he soon had some amazing pictures of them.     

Andvord Bay (Sat., 5/16/09) - Visions of sugarwhales dancing in my head — by Megan O'Neill — posted May 18, 2009

It was like Christmas Eve,­ getting to go tag a whale in the morning on a zodiac in Antarctica! What a dream!      comments (1)

Andvord Bay (Fri., 5/15/09) - The emotional rollercoaster — by Alison Stimpert — posted May 18, 2009

Yay! There’s a whale just sitting at the surface, let’s tag that one! ... Boo, that guy was a bit difficult to track.      comments (2)

Palmer Station (Wed., 5/13/09) - More than just a port for the Gould — by Lindsey Peavey — posted May 14, 2009

Palmer Station is home to quite a bit of science year round, mostly of the geophysical sort.      comments (3)

Palmer (Sun., 5/10/09) - Leg One Is In the Bag! — by Andy Read — posted May 12, 2009

Our first leg of tagging was amazingly productive (and fun).      comments (5)

Palmer Station (Sat., 5/9/09)-The Battle at Base Brown — by Chance Miller — posted May 12, 2009

Deadly, dangerous, deceitful. Scientists are all of these. Whether it takes form in freezing helpless krill, kicking their last feeble kicks as they near dewars of liquid nitrogen, or sneaking up on sleeping whales, smacking their Goodyear like backsides with tags. Their dubious urges know no bounds, or limits.      comments (1)