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07-08-2014, 01:16 AM
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#1
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Guru
City: Sydney
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Whale Disentanglement in Oz
It`s whale migration time north on the east coast of Australia. I just heard radio reports of a distressed 10 meter(around 35ft) long humpback entangled in fishing net and floats, off Byron Bay Beach on the NSW far north coast. A specialist team was called in to free it. The animal, tired from its own attempts to free itself, was more docile than expected, they were able to cut away the netting.
Sadly this happens too often. The skill and bravery of the rescuers is to be applauded, the danger of a whack from a tail does not bear thinking about. They go in close, with special long handled cutters, to work their magic. Do the whales know they are being helped? I think they do.
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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07-08-2014, 03:47 AM
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#2
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TF Site Team
City: Ex-Brisbane, (Australia), now Bribie Island, Qld
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Yes, I've just watched the footage on the news Bruce, and I think they do understand, the way it restrained its tail movements while they worked on it was impressive.
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Pete
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07-08-2014, 10:00 PM
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#3
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Guru
City: Sydney
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Now there are reports of a second instance yesterday, on the SE coast of New South Wales, and of another today, on the far north NSW coast/south east Queensland coast, near the border.
Twice a year the E coast of Australia is a whale highway, going north now often to calve followed by further "prep" for future calving, returning south later, females with calf. I wish boats were more careful with abandoned nets.
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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07-10-2014, 09:15 PM
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#4
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Guru
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The most recent event turned out to be a stranding, for 36 hours. Rescuers erected a tent over the 8M whale,dousing it with water. After several attempts to direct it seaward, was towed into deeper water by what looked like an indomitable Steber 40, (popular with rescue and police services) using a bridle and single towline. Whales don`t have a towing eye, wonder how it was harnessed. It seems a GPS issue caused the stranding, hope the whale`s GPS was successfully rebooted.
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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07-10-2014, 10:45 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Hotel, CA
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I wonder if it's the same grouping of Humpback whales that visit California annually? Have been told these whales migrate the coast north to Alaska and no idea how far south.
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Craig
It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they've been fooled - Mark Twain
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07-11-2014, 12:02 AM
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#6
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Guru
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Craig, I think you have your own travelers. Our delicate lot leave Antarctica in winter for warmer climes, go up the east coast, and return the same way months later. I believe there are others which do the same on the Aust. west coast(Hendo territory). Numbers are increasing, whale watching is now a tourist industry, whale spotters record the passing parade, especially the ones they see every year.
It is remarkable on the east coast, because whales, especially the southern right whale (so named as it was the "right" whale to kill)used to encounter whalers at Twofold Bay, Eden on the NSW south coast, who were aided by (so called) "killer whales" which would shepherd passing whales to the whalers, in exchange for food rewards.
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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07-11-2014, 12:33 AM
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#7
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Guru
City: Hotel, CA
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Makes perfect sense Bruce, years ago we had one particular whale that got "lost" on the trip. Seems he took a turn inside the Golden Gate Bridge and believe at least once or twice swam up into the freshwater Delta.
IIRC he got the named "Humphrey the wayward whale". Caused quite a stir with marine biologists trying to get him turned around and heading back out to sea. My armchair theory was Humphrey figured out there was warm water about a thousand miles closer so shoulda been named the "lazy whale".
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Craig
It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they've been fooled - Mark Twain
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07-12-2014, 04:23 AM
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#9
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TF Site Team
City: Ex-Brisbane, (Australia), now Bribie Island, Qld
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It appears to be a north and south thing - ours go to Antartica in the summer and come up to north Autralian waters to calve in our winter, yours do likewise from the Arctic/Alasks region down your coasts to warmer middle American waters to calve, in the northern winter then return north during your summer.
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Pete
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07-12-2014, 05:09 PM
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#10
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Moderator Emeritus
City: St. Marks, Florida
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Since this seems to be a pod of mods, thought I should at least chime in, although not much whale activity here in Northern Florida. We do have a Great White in the Gulf of Mexico, though, which the specialists are watching with avid interest (got a transmitter on her) and which the public relations people are scared to death the tourists on the beaches will somehow find out about. :-)
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John
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07-12-2014, 05:37 PM
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#11
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TF Site Team
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07-12-2014, 11:07 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: Sydney
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jwnall
..although not much whale activity here in Northern Florida. We do have a Great White in the Gulf of Mexico, though, which the specialists are watching with avid interest (got a transmitter on her) and which the public relations people are scared to death the tourists on the beaches will somehow find out about. :-)
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Is the "Great White" a shark, or a whale? We have a rare white whale which annually transits the coast, easily spotted. In Western Australia the Govt. declared war, amid much controversy, on sharks following a number of deaths due to likely great white attacks. It is doubtful killing GWs does any good, some politicians feel better, families of victims often oppose the kill.
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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07-13-2014, 06:37 AM
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#13
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Guru
City: Georgia
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The sea is their home. People are the ones who are "a fish out of water" when we're in their home.
But, for the millions of people who visit the shores and frolic in the surf, the bigger worry and threat to health is sunburn and it's long term effects, not a shark nibble.
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07-13-2014, 08:48 AM
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#14
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Moderator Emeritus
City: St. Marks, Florida
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceK
Is the "Great White" a shark, or a whale? .
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Shark. Her name is Katherine. Tagged at some point on the East Coast, and the scientists have been following her ever since. Anyone who wants to look at the track can go to the website OCEARCH.ORG »Profile Katharine and see where she is. Right now, off of Sarasota, Florida.
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John
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07-13-2014, 09:48 AM
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#15
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Hospitality Officer
City: Pittwater
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How can you call a Great White shark Katherine?
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07-14-2014, 01:36 AM
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#16
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Guru
City: Sydney
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy G
How can you call a Great White shark Katherine?
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I suggest, very politely.
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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07-14-2014, 03:19 AM
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#17
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Moderator Emeritus
City: Chicago, IL
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Marty
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07-14-2014, 08:48 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Here
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bay Pelican
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Think they'd be less attracted to a Bayliner ?
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07-19-2014, 12:46 PM
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#19
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Moderator Emeritus
City: St. Marks, Florida
Vessel Name: Morgan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy G
How can you call a Great White shark Katherine?
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Hard to say. I've always just kind of figured that the researcher who gave her the name "Katherine" was probably a woman, and had a mother-in-law named Katherine.
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John
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