Our intrepid, sea-fairing vessel, Whale Song is a perfect platform for researching cetaceans. With 6 nautical miles visible range from the flybridge and 5 nautical miles from the bridge, we have got whales and dolphins covered! Listening to the sounds of the sea with underwater acoustic equipment, we have even further covered!
As Roger Payne aptly describes in his beautifully written book, “Among Whales”,
A ship towing an array of hydrophones can effectively hear whales in a strip 150 miles wide–an improvement of seventy-five times.
We love the concept and the effectiveness of listening!
Whale Song has taken the CWR Team though rough and calm waters alike and here are some images to show.
In evening light as Whale Song bolts for her home port of Fremantle. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Sunset at Sea, the last one for this trip. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Howling at the Sun. Why not? Skipper is always very vocal! (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Where Are They? Another sighting of a possible Beaked whale had our eyes glued to the sea between the boat and the horizon. Skipper at a favoured fairlead. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Another fantastic start to the day! What a treat! (Photo by Micheline Jenner).
Whale Song on the hardstand in Port Lincoln, South Australia. The list of chores to do is long, but now we can tick Bottom Paint off. This is not unlike the first time Curt and I saw Whale Song, she was hauled out in the Manuoel Island Yacht Yard in Silema, Malta. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
White Blanket. All around, a dense advection fog enveloped Whale Song as we crossed the Great Australian Bight. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
In calm and glassy seas, this is perfect weather for looking and listening. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
In low to moderate swell, the bow is deflecting the waves well, as we cross the GAB (Great Australian Bight). (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Skipper is happy at the fairlead, his favourite spot! (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
This is so beautiful. Whale Song was entering the lagoon at Cocos Keeling Islands. With crystal clear water, abundant coral and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins–we were all set! (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Perfect Channel. Wow! Whale Song inside the lagoon at Cocos-Keeling Islands. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Location, Location, Location! Red-footed boobies crowd for space on our mast, the weather instruments being the most favoured real estate! At Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, these boobies were very interested in any perching place onboard Whale Song! (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Tropical Oasis. Palm trees fringe the shore at Rocky Point, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Throughout the pink hues of near sundown, Carrie and Skipper continue to look for any interesting critters! (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Sonobuoys provide an ear in the ocean and with cross bearings, we can fine tune the location of cetacean sounds, also known as “transients”. With the help of Skipper, Daffy deployed a sonobuoy from the midship boat-deck on Whale Song. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
The beautiful blue-green water indicating turbulent tidal flow north of Cape Voltaire was very distinctive. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Whale Song in an unreal sunrise in the tropical sea. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
Skipper checks out the scattered cumulus at sunset. (Photo by Micheline Jenner)
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