Where Are Those Rascally Whales? (Nov 21, 2015)
Revving of the engines woke me from a deep sleep. Are we chasing something or being chased? I wonder. No, the guys are sorting something out below – I convinced myself. I rolled over.
By 8am, the boys had been busy debunking a mystery in the engine-room and as well they had some possible sperm whale detections (with 3 clicks every 8 seconds) and some dolphin squeaks too. “We’ve got good weather and will make Freo by early December!” Curt reported all chipper. ‘That’s the best news I’ve heard all day” I answered.
All Tied Up. Lines, lines and lines. The only rope on a boat is the bell rope.
The seas have calmed even more, now we have 13-14 knots, still from the SE, the predominant direction in the Indian Ocean at this time of the year. By lunchtime, I have had several more calls and also some hunting calls (more tightly spaced pulses). With only a Beaufort 4 (11-16 knots) and much smaller waves, I am getting optimistic that we could see some of these rascally whales. Hope springs eternal. Well, it must – otherwise you wouldn’t survive out here.
The Curves of Boat Bits. Round shapes over and over grace the decks.
Sadly, overnight another 9 flying fish made their way helter-skelter onto Whale Song’s decks. Sometimes there is evidence of injuries with a dot or two of blood on their belly. Most wear a frozen fish-lip expression of a slightly sideways “O”. I think that’s what I would be saying too, once I found myself high and dry on a cold, salty steel deck. “Hmm, what now? O!”
Throughout my afternoon watch, more dolphin squeaks are detected and recorded. Scanning and scanning for cetacean blows and bodies, the odd fleet of flying fish making a dash caught my attention. In 10’s and 15’s, they wriggled their tails, burst free of the water and soared vigorously and freely with their pectoral fins outstretched making fan formations, downwind. Just to get out of our way. Sorry for disturbing you, I think.
Waves Are Calming. Sam can cook Resty’s delicious hamburgers on the bbq tonight!
I walk the decks and find odd things, more flying fish and fish scales scattered everywhere. These scales are remarkable – a protective, hard covering for a soft body. They are beautiful, delicate and strong – all at once. A 4cm crickety, insect-thing from Christmas Island (washed out from under the deck matting by the recent waves) has two fish scales stuck on its’ belly. Wow, wouldn’t Darwin have a thing or two to say about that?
Delicate Covering. A tiny 75mm fish scale from a flying fish reveals beautiful details. A fluted, or pleated skirt, beneath a fine mesh top, of minute, black dots. Simply gorgeous! I should like to wear this to a ball. I shall be styled by a fish scale.
In the end we have had many squeaks and burp detections today, but as well, I am desperately hoping for a visual sighting. But then again, data indicates with acoustic surveys, that one has 75 % more chance of hearing a whale, than seeing one. Please sir, I think we might have heard our quota, I should like to see one too – please…
Take care, from the 6 millionth wave – 1500nm from Freo!
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