<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Dear Naturalists,</span></font><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">>>>>><br></span></font><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The basics:</span></font><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Pods of commons ranging up to about 700 all day.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">One not so elusive Minke</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Two groups of two blue whales</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">A special on-the-water encounter with John Calambokidis.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The joy of working with Deb Herring and Lisa Angle on PID.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">A recipe for krill omelette.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">>>>>></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Probably WAY more than what you want to know:</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The water was really flat all day, the sky was clear, the air was warm. We started by finding a pod of commons that was about 600-700.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Right after our first dolphin sighting, we found a Minke. This Minke came up right by the bow of the boat at least 5-6 times. I could easily see the white patch on it's dorsal fin. I think the whole boat had a great chance to get good views of the Minke, which is not typical, as Minke are usually elusive. It was certainly my best Minke sighting to date.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">After that we found two blues together by an IPCO boat, and another small zodiac with three people. We were pretty close to Santa Cruz Island at this point. We watched these two blues for quite a while. I timed their dives and they consistently dove for 9.5 minutes. (Bring a timer sometime, if the whales are consistent, as they often are, it's really fun to say "start looking" and have them pop up on cue. It makes you look smart, and I need all the help I can get.) </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">During one of the 9.5 minute dives, the zodiac pulled alongside our boat. It was John Calambokidis, his son, and one other person. We had just missed them tagging one of these two blues by 15 minutes!!! How great that would have been to see. I'll bet the IPCO boat got to see that. John showed us what the suction cup tags look like. Picture a small fire extinguisher with two suction cups, each about 3 inches across. The cylinder was bright orange. As these two "very regular" blues would surface, we could easily see the bright orange tags, which are designed to fall off after a certain amount of time. It was a special treat to see John, and have him answer questions from passengers! Just imagine a little zodiac along side a blue whale with some one foolish enough to poke at it with a stick!!! Let me restate that... Just imagine a little zodiac alongside a big blue whale with some one brave enough to try and tag it for important research!</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">We started moving towards Painted Cave, and found two more blues. These seemed larger than the first pair. These two whales were short divers, with dives about 2 - 2.5 minutes. Part of the time these two blues just "logged" at the surface. No visible tags on these guys.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">On both pairs of whales we got great views, as close as maybe 60 yards away. All whales seemed relaxed with our presence. We saw at least one tail fluke from each pair of whales. One fluke was really nice.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Some passengers, and myself noticed what seemed to be a big exhalation from at least one of the blues just when making a deep dive, which seemed curious. If you know more than me, and who doesn't, please share! </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The boat had about 110 passengers from various parts of the U.S. and Europe, and maybe beyond. There were some really inquisitive passengers with lots of great questions.</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">As for the krill omelette recipe?? Well Deb is looking for one since she now has them in her fridge. Please forward to her. I hear they are great with garlic...but what isn't good with garlic?</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Regards,</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Scott Cuzzo</span></font></div></div></div></body></html>