2007 Life at Campo Cortez
By Caroline Armon
February 27, 2007
Hola! There must have been quite a weather front in the Northwest, because I saw a corona around the moon on Feb. 22, and the wind built until we had 32 mph on Feb. 24. So we couldn’t go out that morning. Instead we all climbed on the bus and visited the oyster factory at El Cardon, (guess where they get their seed from? Yup, Wescott Bay Oyster Farm on San Juan Island), and we visited El Centro & the local artist’s cooperative. Everyone had a fun field trip and hardy adventurers went out on an afternoon whale watch when the wind clamed down to about 20-24 mph. So we are thinking occasional fresh barbequed oysters at happy hour is a new tradition here at Campo Cortez!
That evening, Doug, Robin, Jose & I went to a presentation by Dr. Steven Swartz, about the science projects that are currently going on in the lagoon. They are continuing the whale census and photo identification studies. New studies this season are acoustic studies of the whales and other sounds in the lagoon, what food is in the lagoon for the grays, and taking breath samples to analyze gases that will indicate the health of the whales. This is all happening under the umbrella of “Ecosystem Monitoring of San Ignacio Lagoon and Wetlands”. So scientists from Mexico and all over the world will be involved with current and future projects. Best of all, Dr. Swartz is setting up a web site to share the results of all this science, and planning a symposium in September.
Some of the results he shared that night are cause for concern. Information from the feeding grounds, shows the whale’s food sources are not as abundant in historically used areas. And there are correlations with ice thickness, the time it recedes (or doesn’t), ocean temperatures, to when the whales are heading south and their reproductive success. I have to admit I have noticed some whales that are not as robust as they should be, compared to previous years. And the overall numbers of whales is down from previous years also. I have also seen 4 whales with serious injuries that appeared to be from ship strikes, which does occur, as the whales travel in the coastal shipping lanes. Things we should all be aware of…
The good news is there are plenty of robust, healthy, active, and friendly whales here in the lagoon! We have been having warm, albeit windy trips out, with great encounters!! There are some really friendly calves out here that like their tongues and baleen rubbed! The adults are still mating, we are seeing daily breaches and numerous spy hops. I think yesterday afternoon was gray whale nursery school- learn to spy hop class! The moms would pop up, and then a calf spy hopped. We watched 3 pairs do this countless times!! Sorry I left my camera at camp.
We have had plant- nature walks, tide walk today, sunset kayaking, and very happy to have the Gitanos back playing their beautiful music. Life is good!
Caroline Armon
Logs & Diaries -- Guest Comments -- Field Reports -- Gray Whale Census
