Second Cruise of 2019

Cruise 2 of 2019 is complete! We were out from April 2 until May 19, surveying between the South Carolina/Georgia border and the entrance to the Chesapeake in Virginia (see our tracklines below). Luckily we had better weather this cruise, allowing for more days of visual observations and the chance to tag a sperm whale!

                                                               

You can read about life on the boat on our blog: https://openexplorer.nationalgeographic.com/expedition/beakedwhales/

 

Marine Life

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
MCR 2019-05-16 11-21-30 C3
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
MCR 2019-05-10 11-57-14 C2
Everyone scrambling on deck to see the sperm whale hanging around the boat.
Everyone scrambling on deck to see the sperm whale hanging around the boat.
Closing in for a tag attempt on a sperm whale from the zodiac.
Closing in for a tag attempt on a sperm whale from the zodiac.
Needed just a slightly longer pole....
Needed just a slightly longer pole....
Can you spot the sperm whale?
Can you spot the sperm whale?
Found it!
Found it!
This unlucky flying fish landed on deck during the night.
This unlucky flying fish landed on deck during the night.
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus)
Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus)
Clymene dolphins (Stanella Clymene)
Clymene dolphins (Stanella Clymene)
Clymene dolphins (Stanella clymene)
Clymene dolphins (Stanella clymene)
One of many stowaways during our trip.
One of many stowaways during our trip.
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Gervais' beaked whale Gervais' beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) breaching near Norfolk Canyon, USA
Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
MCR 2019-04-29 12-17-38 C3 CR (2)
A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) spotted as we were leaving the Chesapeake Bay.
A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) spotted as we were leaving the Chesapeake Bay.
How high can you fly? Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
How high can you fly? Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Great shearwater (Ardenna gravis)
Great shearwater (Ardenna gravis)
Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus)
Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)
Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stanella frontalis)

Life on Deck

MCR 2019-05-16 23-21-11 C3 edit
This aerial array was used to help track the VHF signal from the Dtag once deployed on a whale.
This aerial array was used to help track the VHF signal from the Dtag once deployed on a whale.
MCR 2019-04-08 12-34-07 C3
Great weather for a Zodiac ride to range test the DTags.
Great weather for a Zodiac ride to range test the DTags.
Dtags set and ready to be deployed, just have to find a whale.....
Dtags set and ready to be deployed, just have to find a whale.....
Connor prepping for dinner, looks like a carrot surprise kind of night.
Connor prepping for dinner, looks like a carrot surprise kind of night.
MCR 2019-04-10 14-17-26 CR
Leigh searching for signs of marine life from atop the Aframe.
Leigh searching for signs of marine life from atop the Aframe.
One of a couple water spouts that were spotted throughout the cruise.
One of a couple water spouts that were spotted throughout the cruise.
The handy dandy hydrophone cable spool. Winding up 400m of cable was quite the sought after job.
The handy dandy hydrophone cable spool. Winding up 400m of cable was quite the sought after job.
Laura and Niall enjoying the wonderful weather.
Laura and Niall enjoying the wonderful weather.
It's just a drizzle, wait 5 minutes it'll change.
It's just a drizzle, wait 5 minutes it'll change.
Catching drones on a moving boat is not as easy as it looks!
Catching drones on a moving boat is not as easy as it looks!
MCR 2019-04-10 20-06-10 C3 CR
Steve reading in the best seat in the boat, if only the weather was this nice everyday.
Steve reading in the best seat in the boat, if only the weather was this nice everyday.
Leigh teaching Amelia and Ashley about Dtags.
Leigh teaching Amelia and Ashley about Dtags.
MCR 2019-04-18 21-04-04 C2 CR
When you're out this long you get to see some interesting boats. Time to up our sail game.
When you're out this long you get to see some interesting boats. Time to up our sail game.
Laura (UNCW) teaching Dave (Duke) about thermal imaging.
Laura (UNCW) teaching Dave (Duke) about thermal imaging.
MCR 2019-05-11 16-45-00 C2 edit
Richard showing everyone up with his giant lens.
Richard showing everyone up with his giant lens.
I could've sworn I saw it somewhere around here....Connor and Dave searching for a whale to tag
I could've sworn I saw it somewhere around here....Connor and Dave searching for a whale to tag