1 coverpage - Ocean Blue Education

OCEAN BLUEEDUCATIONFALL 2010HAWAII WHALEWEEK I & IIFEB 15-21FEB 22-28Education Through Exploration

WelcomeOFFICEPO Box 303Pinehurst, NC 23870PHONE1-888-232-1954EMAILobeducation@gmail.comWEBwww.oceanblueeducation.comDear ______________,Welcome to Ocean Blue Education!Thank you for choosing OBE and for joining us for a great week of ocean fun. We areexcited to have you aboard the 2010 Whale Week expedition on the beautiful island ofMaui. This seven day excursion throughout the Hawaiian Islands of Maui and Lanai,guarantees a unique experience rich with diving, research, and plenty of up closeencounters with one of the largest mammals on earth. We hope to share with youcountless opportunities for fun & learning, personal growth & achievement, oceandiscovery & change, along with building a community of friends. Get ready for aweek you’ll never forget, get ready for the OCEAN BLUE!This packet has been designed to give you a quick glance at what our week will looklike. We have included a schedule of events, program descriptions, a quick glance atthe research you will be helping with and links to affordable accommodations for yourstay on Maui.We hope to see you soon.Best Wishes,Tyler KorteExecutive Director

HAWAII: WHALE WEEKPROGRAM DESCRIPTIONSEach year over half of the North Pacific population of humpback whales makes a huge migration from their feedinggrounds in the North to their breeding grounds here in the Hawaiian Islands. By February the greatest concentrationof these whales are found just off shore of Maui. With over 3,000 Whales in the 9 mile stretch between Maui andLanai, it won’t be long after your plane touches down that your eyes will be glued to the ocean, searching for surfaceactivity. The Whale Week Expedition, which encompasses the islands of Maui and Lanai, presents a chance to work inwhat is known as natures greatest laboratory, the Hawaiian Archipelago.Starting on day one, participants will have a front row seat to the extended show of whale season in Maui. Enjoy theunique experience of watching a single whale quietly slip through the waves, or a cow/calf pair dual breaching as theyexhibit a form of parental guidance that transcends the species barrier. After a morning of whale watching, theafternoon hours will be spent under the waves taking in the beautiful aquatic vistas of Maui and Lanai’s unique diving.An afternoon manta dive at a manta cleaning station will prove to be one of the many anticipated highlights of thistrip. Evening BBQ’s and sunset cocktail hours will wrap up the days along with the chance to partake in whalepresentations and photography clinics.DIVING & SNORKELINGLife for a diver in Maui isn’t as easy as you think. Paradise to enjoy atevery turn. Surrounded on all sides by pristine ocean to explore.Throw in the arrival of humpback whales at the top of November andthe simple life of a diver becomes definitely twisted by one question-“To Dive or to Whale Watch?” Often times the combination of the twois simple. Such an unforgettable experience hinges on being at the rightdive site at the exact time a 40 foot humpback whale slides on by therocky pinnacle you’re kicking along. Simplicity? Luck? Who knows. But,it’s all just part of the plan this February. Following a morning of whalewatching and photography, enjoy a quick ride to Lanai and jump in thewater for some afternoon diving. Divers can cruise along reefs blanketedin schools of colorful butterfly fish and snapper while looking for turtles, octopus and white tip reef sharks. Lanai’smany pukas and caves offer quiet and protected refuge for a diversity of animals, including whales!WHALE WATCHHumpbacks’ acrobatics above the water draw thousands of travelers to Hawaiievery winter. They come simply to “whale watch”- amazed by an ocean creaturespending its time at or above the surface. Every day, boats filled with people kickoff from the dock- all eyes glued to the water, scanning the horizon line, and earswide open, listening for “Breach, 2 o’clock!”Witnessing a breach is considered the most unanticipated and excitinghumpback behavior among whale watchers. At any given moment a breach couldmanifest from as little as three or four pumps of a fluke, from as shallow as 60 to80 feet. The whale’s approach to the breach is at full speed and straight up, thenbreaking through the surface and into the air, out of its natural element. Witnessthe awesome power of these massive mammals day in and day out as you sit center stage for an exhilarating show ofpec slaps, peduncle throws, bubble blasts, body blocks, head lunges and more!

WHALE RESEARCHWhaling in the 1900’s decimated the North Pacific humpback whales to anestimated 10% of pre-whaling numbers (1200-1400 may have survived). Ever sincethe protection of Humpback whales in 1966 the population has managed a steadyclimb back from the brink of extinction. The SPLASH (Structure of Populations,Levels of Abundance and Status of Humpbacks) project shows that humpbackwhales in the North Pacific have substantially recovered from whaling to a currentpopulation size of approximately 20,000. Over 50% of this population winters inHawaii.So many mysteries remain about our vast ocean environment. Every day, peopleworld-wide strive to further their knowledge about its diverse systems of life. Marine research can provide thepublic with insights to the underwater world by offering hard data, compelling information, new technology, vibrantphotos and video, and cause for positive change in the ocean environment.The non-profit, Whale Trust strives to bridge the gap between education and research. Ocean Blue Education.shares this vision and continues to offer exciting programs that involve the public in ongoing marine research, whileencouraging fun and meaningful interactions with the ocean.FLUKE PHOTO IDHumpbacks in Maui draw a lot of attention, especially from folks who know how to wield a camera. Whetherphotography is your craft, hobby or passion, these whales are one of the most difficult and rewarding subjects tophotograph. This February O.B.E. participants will skip over the waves in Hawaiian Rafting Adventures vessel HOKU,captained by Steve Juarez, to have fun and get involved in current whale research.A humpback’s tail is its “fingerprint”. No two are the same. One could be totally black with sleek straight edges andbarnacle encrusted tips, while another may be colored white with a single cross-hatch marking the upper rightquadrant of a curvy shaped tail. In Maui, every winter season Whale Trust’s researchers shoot pictures of humpbackflukes, which are then cataloged year after year. From these photos, and the information gathered at the time theywere taken, researchers know exactly whose fluke belongs to who (male, female, mother), what they were doing(breaching, logging, tale slapping, flipper slapping, etc.), where they were (g.p.s. coordinates), how many other whalesthey were with (if any), and when they were spotted (month, day, year).Whale Trust executive director Megan Jones, keeps a veritable rap sheet of fluke photo i.d.s numbering in thethousands. These perfectly framed shots of the tail’s underside are used to identify individual whales. All datacollected is paramount in studying humpback behavior. Whale Week participants will get the opportunity to assistresearchers by adding their own photos to the fluke database. By matching tail shots from different years we canhelp determine which whales are returning to Maui and “contribute to the understanding of natural behaviorpatterns in whales.”

Whale TrustMatching Photos 101Arrange And Match Photos By Date FirstMatch Within Each DayArrange And Match Photos By Known SexFemales (Moms or sexed females); Males (known escorts, singers)Unknowns in Middle (all pairs, singles, trios etc.)Arrange and Match within and Between Color Patterns(General Guidelines Below)1 = 100% White2 = 75-90% White; 10-25% Black3 = 50% White and Black4 = 75-90% Black; 10-20% White5 = 100% BlackMatch 1’s and 2’s; 2’s and 3’s, etc.Record All Known MatchesRecord Dates, Group Type (both dates), Sex or Role if known (e.g., Escort, Singer,Mom-Cow etc).Other Information of Importance:Group TypeBehavioral Role– this can tell you sex (e.g., singers and escorts are males etc);Matches

OTHER EVENTS & PROGRAMSWHALE QUEST“Whale Quest Kapalua promises to be another unforgettable event with alineup of speakers from around the world. This year’s presenters will takeaudiences on a journey into the underwater world of whales, to the frontlinesof research and the many conservation challenges facing whalestoday.!Whale Quest Kapalua has a little something for everyone, includingfree presentations, a charity golf tournament, education and art expo, dailywhale watches and interactive educational activities for children. To receivea brochure with the list of presenters and schedule of events, download the pdf here.”WHALE BIOLOGY PRESENTATIONDuring the whale watching trips, OBE staff will be helping to interpretsome of the behaviors that these amazingly social animals display each day.A whale biology presentation will give you the chance to look at why theseanimals behave the way they do, and what researchers have been able tosurmise through continued research of these animals year in and year out.PHOTOGRAPHY SEMINARAdvances in photography and videography have completely altered andenhanced our ability to study marine mammals. With the implementation offluke and dorsal ID techniques, researchers are able to conduct noninvasivestudies of cetaceans in their natural habitat. The results give us a betterunderstanding of population size and dynamics. However getting theseshots is easier said than done. Explosive breaches and gorgeous fluke diveshappen fast and with little to no warning. During our photography seminaryou will learn from some of the best on how to capture these majesticmoments.SUNSET BARBECUES & DINNERSAfter a hard day of diving and whale watching we find that talking storyover dinner and a few drinks is a great way to relax. We have scheduled ina few dinners over Maui sunsets to make sure you take in the whole islandexperience. During these BBQs you’ll have a chance to recount the day, tellstories of old, and participate in some of our whale and photo clinics foryour enjoyment.Trip Highlights: ! ! ! ! ! ! Accommodations:" " " " " " " " "6 Days of Humpback Whale Watching!! www.westmauilodging.com !Fluke Photo ID! ! ! ! ! Jan HendrixWhale Quest Kapalua! ! ! ! Phone: (808)662-08576 Days of Diving on LanaiManta Ray Dive

OCEAN BLUE EDUCATION: MAUI WHALE WEEK: 2/15!2/21I t i n e r a r yDate Time Morning event Lunch Afternoon Event Time Evening ProgramFeb 15, 2010 8AM -3PMWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyBoat LunchLanai Dive &Snorkel6 PM -8;30PMWelcome to Whale week dinner. Photo / Videopresentation.Feb 16, 2010 8AM -3AMWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyBoat LunchLanai Dive &Snorkel6 - 7PMFlukes and cocktails with a Photo clinic by MartySnydermanFeb 17, 20010 8AM -3PMFeb 18, 20010 8AM -6PMWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyExtended Whale WatchDay.Boat LunchLanai Dive &Snorkel6 PM -8;30PMBoat Lunch Manta Dive Sleep.BBQ and Whale Biology PresentationFeb 19, 20010 8AM -6PMFeb 20, 20010 8AM -2PMWhale Watch/ Researchand PhotographyWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyBoat LunchBoat LunchLanai Dive &SnorkelLanai Dive &Snorkel6 PM -8;30PMEnd of Trip Dinner with Photo and VideoPresentationFeb 21, 20010 8AM -2PMDeparture Day

OCEAN BLUE EDUCATION: MAUI WHALE WEEK: 2/22!2/28I t i n e r a r yDate Time Morning event Lunch Afternoon Event Time Evening ProgramFeb 22, 2010 8AM -4PMWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyBoat LunchLanai Dive &Snorkel6 PM -8;30PMWelcome to Whale week dinner. Photo / Videopresentation.Feb 23, 2010 8AM -4PMWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyBoat LunchLanai Dive &Snorkel6 - 7PMFlukes and cocktails with a Photo clinic by MartySnydermanFeb 24, 20010 8AM -4PMFeb 25, 20010 8AM -6PMWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyExtended Whale WatchDay.Boat LunchLanai Dive &Snorkel6 PM -8;30PMBoat Lunch Manta Dive Sleep.BBQ and Whale Biology PresentationFeb 26, 20010 8AM -3PMFeb 27, 20010 8AM -4PMWhale Watch/ Researchand PhotographyWhale Watch/Researchand PhotographyBoat LunchBoat LunchLanai Dive &SnorkelLanai Dive &Snorkel4PM6 PM -8;30PM.Whale Quest KapaluaEnd of Trip Dinner with Photo and VideoPresentationFeb 28, 2010 8AM -2PMWhale Quest Kapalua /Departure Day