History & Construction of R/V Whalesong

History & Construction Of Whalesong

The Enderby Island research station in the Dampier Archipelago was a great place but we were tied to the land while our study animals moved freely along the coast. We decided, during our 1992 trip to the Monte Bello Islands that we should be mobile and able to migrate with the whales. We also needed to find where they were calving. Most of the southbound calves observed near the Dampier Archipelago were between 4-5 weeks old. It was evident we should be looking further north to find the calving ground. However, the Kimberley is a remote vast frontier where everything is huge – stations, distances, tides, currents, and the cost of living.

With the help and friendship of John and Lynn Lally at the Pilbara Camp School in Dampier, we were able to build WhaleSong over a period of two years and three months (actually 17 months of construction). After lots of very hard work, WhaleSong was launched on July 22, 1995. Her launch began a significant phase in our lives and research because we were finally completely mobile and independent, just like our study animals.

WhaleSong is a modified 13.25 metre Simpson design sailing catamaran, The hulls are cedar strip plank, sandwiched between biaxial fiberglass impregnated with System 3 epoxy resin. The cabin top, bridgedeck and bulkheads are laminated marine plywood.

WhaleSong is a work boat, comfortable and strong but not luxurious accommodating 10 persons, carrying 450 litres of water (plus watermaker) and 560 litres of fuel. WhaleSong is equipped with a 3.5m Zodiac tender, Sousa, and we also operate a 6m (21ft) Zodiac RIB as a separate research boat (Mega). Mega has twin 40hp Yamaha motors and is an excellent offshore work vessel.

Since the launch of WhaleSong we have worked three winter seasons in the Kimberley (1995-1997), sailing to Fremantle during the summer months, then a winter season (1998) in Exmouth Gulf followed by another summer in Fremantle on the jetty generously donated to us by Rob Lynn at Wiltrading. In 1999 we didnÕt sail north because Tasmin, our youngest daughter, was just born so instead we worked on the humpback southern migration from Rottnest Island off Fremantle. For the 2000 to 2004 winter seasons we have returned to Exmouth Gulf and worked off Rottnest Island on pygmy blue whales during the summers.

During the winter of 2001 we did some extensive renovations on WhaleSong involving adding 1.5m to each hull in the stern region. The original transom hung rudders were replaced with more efficient kick-up spade rudders. Railings were added to the stern deck and twin 40 hp Volvo Penta diesel sail drive motors installed. The hulls and bridgedeck were re-painted as well. The interior received a re-vamp as well with the head and kids cabin getting a complete make-over. As a result, WhaleSong is faster, more comfortable and a more capable work platform.

We have now sailed over 30,000 nautical miles in our excellent purpose-built research base/home!