Storytellers

  • Greys and Orcas – 14/4/25

    Greys and Orcas – 14/4/25

    I found our first whale today which turned out to be T065A5 “Indy”. He looks a little rougher than he did last year…he often travels by himself, he has caught up to his family a few times.. Our second stop was at SE Hat Island where we encountered 6 gray whales (maybe more), at least…

  • Humpback Mugging

    Humpback Mugging

    ​I ​have ​so ​many, it ​was ​tough ​to ​pick, ​​just ​one. ​But ​there ​was ​an ​encounter ​with ​a ​pair ​of ​humpback ​whales ​a ​few ​years ​ago. ​So ​in ​addition ​to ​being ​the ​director ​of ​research ​for ​Gotham ​Whale, ​I ​also ​work ​as ​a ​naturalist ​on ​• ​Jersey ​Shore ​Whale ​Watch. ​And ​one ​day ​we ​had ​a ​random ​trip ​in ​the ​middle ​of ​the ​week. ​And ​it ​was ​a ​high ​school, ​it ​was ​only ​a ​two ​hour, ​which ​is ​a ​shorter ​trip. ​And ​you ​know, ​high ​school ​kids, ​they’re ​just ​happy ​to ​be ​out ​of ​school, ​right?  ​But ​little ​did ​they ​know, ​​they ​would ​probably ​have ​this ​life ​changing ​experience  ​with ​these ​two ​humpback ​whales. ​We ​came ​across ​them ​and ​they ​approached ​us, ​which ​does ​not ​happen ​all ​the ​time. ​It ​does ​happen, ​but ​it’s ​not ​often ​that ​they ​are ​watching ​you ​versus ​you ​watching ​them.  ​And ​they ​decided ​to ​interact ​with ​the ​boat ​for ​about ​two ​hours. ​These ​two ​whales, ​they ​essentially ​rubbed ​their ​rostrums ​on ​the ​hull ​of ​the ​boat ​and ​were ​rolling ​upside ​down  ​looking ​at ​these ​students ​that ​were ​looking ​over ​the ​side ​and ​could ​not ​believe ​what ​they ​were ​seeing. Basically ​were ​giving ​us ​all ​of ​these ​behaviors ​that ​we ​hadn’t ​seen ​for ​the ​entire ​year.  ​And ​I ​know ​these ​things ​happen ​more ​often ​elsewhere, ​right. ​But ​for ​us, ​it ​was ​amazing ​to ​see ​them ​spy ​hopping ​next ​to ​the ​boat, ​looking ​at ​us. ​To ​see ​them ​lifting ​their ​flipper, ​practically ​touching ​these ​students. ​And ​to ​see ​them ​move ​away ​and ​then ​purposely ​turn ​around ​and ​come ​back ​​while ​we ​were ​sitting ​there ​in ​complete ​neutral ​and ​watching ​these ​whales. ​It ​really ​was ​just ​one ​of ​the ​most ​incredible ​experiences. ​Them ​spouting ​on ​us ​and, ​you ​know, ​and ​me ​being ​able ​to ​actually ​show ​them ​parts ​of ​their ​anatomy ​up  ​close, ​which ​was ​so ​cool. ​And ​then ​trying ​to ​explain ​to ​these ​students ​that ​this ​does ​not ​happen ​all ​the ​time. ​This ​is ​not ​normal. ​This ​is ​a ​very ​unique, ​very ​special ​experience. ​I ​don’t ​think ​I’ll ​ever ​forget ​that. -Danielle This post was adapted from a voice recording in episode 80 of the Whale Tales Podcast, listen here.

  • The Sun – 11/23

    The Sun – 11/23

    We have almost two weeks before the Polar Night will settle on the Norwegian Arctic. One can always enjoy watching orcas in direct sunlight, even in freezing cold weather. Today, the temperature was -7 degrees. There must be a volume of herring nearby Skjervøy as we encountered animals in the morning, just minutes after leaving…

  • Humpback Calf Baleen – 19/11/24

    Humpback Calf Baleen – 19/11/24

    Humpback calf baleen was on show this afternoon while two mature bachelor males cruised towards the departure lounge of the sighting grounds in the morning. Calm and peaceful moments this morning as we spent the start of our day with a bachelor pod of two males. While with the boys we observed four other pods…

  • Orca’s On the Hunt – 20/3/25

    Orca’s On the Hunt – 20/3/25

    ***Warning graphic content*** We set out across smooth seas this morning, with no idea what the Southern Ocean had in store for us. Our journey began with a trio of bottlenose dolphins passing us by as we rounded the corner of the harbour and headed south toward the shelf edge. With no signs of the…