To Live with Whales

Orcalab - Summer 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:34:22 -0400

So the time has come once again for me to pack my bags and fly off to Vancouver for a 2nd British Columbia summer filled with wilderness adventures and plenty of whales! Last summer spending 6 weeks at Cetacealab a remote whale research station in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest changed my life, so after what feels like a very long 9 months I am returning to Canada for 6 whole months, 3 of which will be spent on Hanson Island at Orcalab, a remote killer whale research station in the Johnstone Strait. (critical habitat for the Northern Resident Killer whale population) This research station nested in the channels in-between Vancouver Island and British Columbia mainland is home to a population of approximately 240 resident salmon eating killer whales. Each year they spend their summers foraging, socialising and traveling in this area and Orcalab is right in the heart of it all.

So with a tent, a very warm sleeping bag and my camera i will be sleeping amongst the whales for 3 whole months and i just cant wait! Ill have the use of internet once a week and i will be posting all my encounters and adventures right here so keep a look out for more snaps like this one.

RIP Yakat (A11) You’ll be missed this summer!

Blackfish Documentary Review, By Megan Hockin-Bennett

Sun, 05 May 2013 12:12:00 -0400

When: April 27th 2013

Where: Sundance Film Festival, London.

What: Gabriela Copperwait’s Documentary, Blackfish.

Gabriella Copperwait’s Blackfish is the story of Tilikum, the 12,000 lb icelandic born male killer whale who lives at Seaworld Orlando. The movie opens with A 911 call made the day Dawn Branchaeu was killed by the largest orca in captivity. But this wasn’t the first death Tilikum had been responsible for. Nearly 20 years ago to the day Tilikum and 2 other female killer whales in a small Canadian park killed trainer Keltie Byrne and in 1990 Daniel Dukes was found naked draped over Tilikum’s back after he snuck into the park after hours. The movie then jumps 30 years prior to the 2010 event and documents the start of the captive orca entertainment industry and the brutal process involved in taking the young whales from the their families and their natural habitat.

The film also follows the journey of 4 former Seaworld trainers, most of whom have no scientific background or experience with animals. Just keen swimmers and a love of animals was all it took to get them the job of their dreams, a Seaworld killer whale trainer. The 4 former trainers document their time at Seaworld, the good and the bad and share their own stories of how they began questioning their purpose at the park and what quality of life the whales really had, How The man made ‘families’ Seaworld had created has ended in nonstop conflict between the whales. Unbalanced social groups consisting of captive born and wild caught animals shipped from all over the world has resulted in fights for dominance leaving certain whales battered and bruised and dead. Also inbreeding and unnatural and repetitive behaviours make you wonder if these animals are thriving or surviving? Seaworld would have you believe that the whales in their care are much better off than wild whales although Blackfish paints a vividly different picture.

Besides the whales welfare Blackfish is also based around the safety of the trainers working with the worlds top predator, what happens when the show doesn’t go to plan? Documents, video footage and eye witness accounts dating back from the late 1970’s show act after act of aggression as well as miscue’s resulting in 3 deaths, multiple broken bones a lot of very scary near misses. The unpredictability of the animals in Seaworld’s hands is quickly realised.

This is a subject matter that is extremely close to my heart. Killer whales have been my biggest love since I was 4 years old and I first watched Free Willy. Its what has pushed me to move half way across the world to spend my summers in British Columbia surrounded by these amazing animals. The captive killer whale industry is also something that I have learnt an incredible amount about for over the past decade, so to see this whole subject documented so wonderfully on the big screen at Sundance film festival really is a huge moment. What Gabrielle has achieved is phenomenal and I can not wait for the summer release when the whole world can see this film.

I saw the film in a sold out showing at Sundance film festival in London and I could tell the audience around me where just shocked by the whole experience as I was, gasps were heard regularly when shocking footage was shown but the balance of the movie really worked. I wasn’t a shove it down your throat approach in which the words ‘THIS MUST STOP’; were splattered across the screen. But on the other hand I doubt very much that any person in that room will ever buy a ticket to Seaworld and that is what its all about.

Every ticket that doesn’t get sold brings us that little step closer to thinking that just maybe our children and our granchildren can grown up in a world where this kind of behaviour is NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE and its because of people like Gabriella, David Kirby, Tim Zimmerman, Naomi Rose, Ric O’Barry, Dr Ingrid Vissa & all the whistle blowers that the tide is turning so an endless thank you to every one of them. Everyone can make their own decisions as to what they take away from Blackfish but if anything, buy the right ticket, not the wrong one!

For more information on the movie and when you can go and see it please go to www.blackfishmovie.org

WILD WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE - WATER. INC PHOTOGRAPHS FROM CETACEALAB.

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 14:05:49 -0500

WILD WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE - WATER. INC PHOTOGRAPHS FROM CETACEALAB.

A letter submitted to the Joint Review panel for proposed tank route of the Northern Gateway Pipeline project by Enbridge.

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 07:58:00 -0400

A letter regarding the joint review panel for the proposed Enbridge northern gateway pipeline tanker route.

Prior to my arrival at Cetacealab, A whale research centre run by Janie Wray and Hermann Muter located above Camanno sound (a key area in the Enbridge proposed Gatway PipeIine route) I had many thoughts and feelings about what my time would be like. It was a mixture of anticipation and excitement but mostly It was the butterfly feelings you get in your stomach when fearing the unknown. But the feelings that I have left with have been far different from what I even imagined. The people that I have met, the things I have seen and done and the feelings i now have about this part of the world have far surpassed anything i ever imagined.

Firstly i would like to thank the people who stood up and spoke in Hartley Bay last year at the hearing and secondly the people who spoke yesterday at Port Hardy. To not be there with these passionate people is frustrating and i only hope my message can make an impact on the cause.

I know you have heard it all before, all the facts, all the figures in all the testimonies. The ambient noise, the wake issues, the oil spills, the impact on the eco system, the communities effected…I could go on for days Instead i will share with you a few inserts from my diary from my time at Cetacelab in the hopes that my message coming straight from the heart will be enough to make you listen.

“After a 24 hours bus ride from Vancouver to Price Rupert, a 3 hour ferry to Hartley Bay and a further 1 hour boat ride we finally arrived on Gil Island. It hit me immediately just how remote this place is. To say the first 24 hours have been amazing would be an understatement, First it was a Fin whale, right in the bay, 2nd largest animal on the planet, so impressive. Next it was the humpbacks, very far away i watched with binoculars for about an hour. All before i had even pitched my tent.”

“I awoke at 6.30 on day 2 to Janie running past my tent shouting ‘ORCA ORCA MEGAN ORCA’ I practically flew out my tent and ran over to the lab just in time for a sunrise with 4 Transient orca hugging the shoreline of the bay, within an hour we watched through binoculars another pod of transient orca leaping out the water hunting sea lions. We jumped on the boat as soon as we could and raced over to catch them up. We found them circling a huge group of Sea lions on a rock and watched as the attempted to wash them off with waves. After no luck they moved south into Camanno sound. So we headed back only to run into 2 Humpbacks, a mother and a juvenile. All this by 12pm! WHAT A MORNING.”

“The little whale appeared to pace up and down the lab gradually getting closer each time. Suddenly two acrobatic Sealions joined in the fun and seemed just as curious of the whale as he was of them. Occasionally slapping his fluke and pecs on the water the whale displayed how much fun he was having. Cohen (The golden retriever) began to bark and this appeared to grab the little whales attention. The connection this little whale and the dogs Cohen and Neekas had silenced us all as we watched feet away from the encounter. It’s a whale watching whale watchers said Hermann and it really hit home how extraordinary this moment was, He had made the choice.”

“After such an incredibly life changing 6 weeks listening to endless acoustics and multiple daily sightings of amazing creatures the only words I really have left is thank you thank you thank you! So thank you to the Git Ga’at for keeping this incredible land so pristine and intact, Your humble beliefs have left me speechless. Thank you to every single person and creature that has passed my way over the past 6 weeks at cetacealab, thank-you for the things you have taught me, for the things you’ve said that have moved me and the thoughts you will take on your way back around the world.

But most of all Thank-you to Janie & Herman. Thank-you for their incredible hospitality, for their amazing humour and whit, for their strength for when things don’t go according to plan. And thank-you most importantly from the bottom of my heart for the work that they are doing to ensure that the whales that inhabit this pristine and irreplaceable part of the world will be better understood and forever protected in these waters. The task at hand is one of such great importance and I have the sincerest optimism that every person that understands the importance of this part of the world will forever be changed, Mind, Body and soul just as I have.”

THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN, LISTEN TO THE WORLD, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. THE ANSREW IS PLANE AND SIMPLE. NO!

Photograph by Jenn Dickie.

Saying goodbye to Cetacealab....

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:29:37 -0400

Prior to my arrival at Cetacealab I had many thoughts and feelings about what my time on Gil Island would be like. It was a mixture of anticipation and excitement but mostly It was the butterfly feelings you get in your stomach when fearing the unknown. I knew I would see whales, and most of my thoughts for the last 19 years of life had been centred around them, so for that only I knew this was a dream come true. But the feelings that I have left with have been far different from what I even imagined. The people that I have met, the things I have seen and done and the switches that have flicked in my mind since I first set foot in the Great Bear Rainforest have been far beyond what I ever initially imagined.

The fear of leaving this place only actually occurred to me the evening before I left. Sitting in the wooden armchair by the bath with Amber purring in my arms whilst quietly sobbing in to a lemon tea watching the sky turn pink and listening to the prehistoric sounds of the Ravens sitting above in the magnificent cedar. I knew then the next morning was going to be an emotional challenge.

On my last morning I awoke in the lab about 5am and decided not to waist a single second I had left. I grabbed my waterproofs and the life vest and took to the Canoe. It was lightly raining and the water was so glassy calm that each drop could be seen bouncing off the surface. The only sound was the water dripping off the ore as I made my way round the Bight. That was until I awoke a sleepy humpback whale 200 meters ahead of me. He took one gigantic breath and then dove. Wow, just when I thought last nights visit from two humpbacks at sunset was my final whale encounter it just goes to show how unforeseen my experiences of this place have been. Zole by this time was on the deck with camera in hand for the whales next move. I lightly tapped the ore on the side of the canoe a few times to let him know where I was and after 5 minuets the whale surfaced across the other side of the bight. I watched him leave passed York point and by this time I was soaked by the rain. After 3 hot cups of coffee and the last minuet stuffing of sleeping bags and thermals into my oversized backpack it was time to load the boat and say our goodbyes.

Standing at the back of Elemiah with Neekas trapped between my legg’s waving goodbye to Janie, Katie and Kirsty on the lab deck with tears streaming down my face is the last memory I have of Whale Point (2012). After another emotional goodbye to Herman and Neekas, a peaceful wander around Hartley Bay and an amazing seaplane adventure over The Great Bear Rainforest with Jen and Zole we all made our way back to Vancouver.

After such an incredibly life changing 6 weeks the only words I really have left is thank you thank you thank you!

So thank you to the Git Ga’at for keeping this incredible land so pristine and intact, Your humble beliefs have left me speechless. Thank you to every single person and creature that has passed my way over the past 6 weeks at cetacealab, thank-you for the things you have taught me, for the things you’ve said that have moved me and the thoughts you will take on your way back around the world.

But most of all Thank-you to Janie & Herman. Thank-you for their incredible hospitality, for their amazing humour and whit, for their strength for when things don’t go according to plan (which often happens whilst 40 feet up a tree with the wrong screwdriver) & thank-you most importantly from the bottom of my heart for the work that they are doing to ensure that the whales that inhabit this pristine and irreplaceable part of the world will be better understood and forever protected in these waters. The task at hand is one of such great importance and I have the sincerest optimism that every person that sets foot on Gil Island will forever be changed, Mind, Body and soul just as I have.

To all friends and family, i will take some time editing and arranging my photographs before i put them up on facebook, So I will have you all round to see the photos with wine and food on my return which is just around the corner!

Cohen, Neekas & the little Whale. May 29th

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 13:51:55 -0400

What A morning! I woke at 6AM to Herman running past my tent shouting ‘WHALE OUT FRONT, WHALE OUT FRONT’. I franticly jumped out of my tent and ran to the lab still in my thermals and flip flops. Everyone was gathered on the deck watching a little Humpback whale milling in Taylor Bight. He was slowly making his way around the Bight feeding just below the surface. I stepped back into the lab to grab my camera and I realized I could hear Orca vocalizing on the hydrophones. It was R Clan on the Squally Hydrophone. This was incredibly exciting as I had seen Transient (mammal eating orca) a few days previous but it was the strongest recording of the Northern Resident community (fish eaters) we had heard so far this season. It appeared they had arrived just in time to wish Herman a Happy Birthday.

The little whale appeared to pace up and down the lab gradually getting closer each time. Cohen (The golden retriever) had made his way down to the rocks below the deck to get a better look at the curious creature. Suddenly two acrobatic Sealions joined in the fun and seemed just as curious of the whale as he was of them. They were leaping around the whale as he slowly passed to and frow in front of the lab as we all stood by totally amazed by this inquisitive whale. Occasionally slapping his fluke and pecs on the water the whale displayed how much fun he was having. Cohen began to bark and this appeared to grab the little whales attention. The connection this little whale and the dogs Cohen and Neekas had silenced us all as we watched feet away from the encounter.

He became so close that we could see him gliding through the crystal clear the water right below us, displaying his pecs out beside him for all to see. He made tiny circles popping his head out the water trying to get a good look at us. “Its a whale, watching whale watchers!” Herman said and that really was what was happening. He was just as interested as we were!

As the little whale moved along the Bight we all gathered down below on the rocks as the whale made it’s way round to the shallows and Elemiah (The boat). The Sealions reappeared for more leaps and bounds that ended up in a big fluke splash from the whale as if to say ‘clear off you two!’ A few more fluke slaps later the little whale made his way out of Taylor Bight displaying his fluke for A perfect photo ID shot. I really do hope we see this happy little whale again.

All the while the R Clan Orcas were vocalizing away on the Squally Channell hydrophone and by this time everyone’s coffee was stone cold and we hadn’t even realized how cold we all were. We had all stood mesmerized by the little whale for what felt like minuets but was infact over two hours as he gazed up at us through the crystal clear water, and all before 8AM.

Words by Megan Hockin-Bennett. Pictures by Aaron Kirkpatrick & Zole.

The first 24 hours on Gil Island.

Sat, 19 May 2012 17:34:44 -0400

After a 24 hours bus ride from Vancouver to Price Rupert, a 3 hour ferry to Hartley Bay and a further 1 hour boat ride we finally arrived on Gil Island. To say the first 24 hours have been amazing would be an understatement, First was a Fin whale, right in the bay, 2nd largest animal on the planet, so impressive. Next it was the humpbacks, very far away i watched with binoculars for about an hour. Set up my tent which was a mission and a half but thank god the sun has been shining since we arrived.

After a lovely dinner with Janie, Herman, Aaron, Sole and dogs Neekos, Cohen it was time for bed, not without one last Fin whale sighting and watching a few local sea lions playing near the beech.

I slept like a log with my hot water bottle keeping me toasty i awoke at 6.30 to Janie running past my tent shouting ‘ORCA ORCA MEGAN ORCA’ I practically flew out my tent and ran over to the lab just in time for a sunrise with 4 Transient orca hugging the shoreline of the bay, within an hour we watched through binoculars another pod of transient orca leaping out the water in hunting mode. We jumped on the boat as soon as we could and raced over to catch them. We found them circling a huge group of Sea lions on a rock and watched as the attempted to wave them off with waves. After no luck they moved on. So we headed back only to run into 2 Humpbacks, a mother and a juvenile. All this by 12pm! WHAT A MORNING.

Got a good rundown of how the lab works and what we will be doing for the next 6 weeks. Extremely exiting stuff ahead! Could not be more in ore of this place, completely amazing. Finally got a chance to tell contact home and thats all for now! The internet is really slow so pictures will be rare until i return.

So everything is packed and ready to go! Thats it, 8 weeks, 1...

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:16:56 -0400

So everything is packed and ready to go! Thats it, 8 weeks, 1 rucksack and a tent

An introduction to Cetacealab and Gil Island

Tue, 08 May 2012 01:33:00 -0400

I thought id fill you all in on exactly what it is im going to be doing…

Cetacealab is a non profit whale research station run by Janie Wray & Herman Meuter. Built in 2001 on Gil Island, Northern British Columbia, Cetacealab is nested in the middle of the ‘The Great Bear Rainforest’, the 3rd largest untouched rainforest in the world. Also nicknamed ‘Whale Channel’, Cetacealab is the only manmade structure on Gil Island and is also home to wolves, black bears and even spirit bears.

Since their arrival in 2001 with only a tent and a hydrophone they now have two spotting stations and a network of hydrohones throughout Caamano sound. Over the last decade with the help of vetran BC whale researchers John Ford and Graham Ellis they have collected a entire catalogue of photo identification ID’s and an acoustic database to allow a yearly census to be created for the entire population of the Northern Resident community of Killer whales.

Not only are they trying to establish the Caamano sound as a critical habitat for the Northern Residents but also a growing Humpback whale community, a large Fin whale community and various other marine and land wildlife.

With the Endbridge pipeline proposal of oil tanker vessel traffic moving directly through the sound now is the time to show people the sheer volume of wildlife that depend on this safe heaven for not only feeding, but breeding, playing and socializing.

I, along with 5 other interns will be camping on Gil Island next to the research lab for 8 weeks to assist Janie & Herman collecting valuable photographic and acoustic data on these amazing animals in a hope that we can make a difference for their future. We will each also be working on individual projects whilst we are there, mine mainly focusing of filming and photographing this amazing place.

This gives you an idea of where Gil Island is…

I will be using this blog to share my time with friends and family as much as i can while i’m away.

Hopefully I’ll be getting more shots like these….

Photo

Sat, 05 May 2012 00:51:53 -0400