Humpback Whale 01-27-01

Daytona Beach, FL

We headed out for a vis check, and hoped for a at least 10'. There was around 5'vis, and that is stretching it. My first dive was on a ledge I have been on plenty of times. When I hit the bottom, and I do mean hit the bottom, I was in the sand (thank God). I took a compass reading and swam to the reef. When I arrived at the edge, I noticed a formation that was familiar so I knew right where I was. I moved over the reef to the other side and there was the lobster hole I love so much. There were three bugs looking at me when I arrived. After bagging them, I found three more deeper in the ledge. I moved around the reef slowly, and never saw a fish worth shooting. I will enjoy those bugs, knowing how tough a dive this was. The bottom temp was a cool 66 F.

Dive two was on another reef North of the other spot by a quarter mile. It was cold and dark too. There were a few bugs, but nothing in reach. It looked as if it had been picked over already, but who knows. Maybe those lobster legs and antenna fell off all over the reef on their own. The seas were beautiful, with a light swell.

At 4 PM, the seas were 4.3', with 13 seconds. The air was 65.7 F, and the surface water was 70.7 F.

We were around twelve miles out when we spotted this whale. It had a strong smell so it must have been dead a while. We noticed a lot of shrimp boats working closer to shore. We noticed that the wind had been blowing from the west also, which would blow the dead whale offshore. I wonder if the shrimp boats had anything to do with the death of this whale?

Click thumbnail for larger photo. For better image, e-mail

Moose at Moose@seahunters.com

It was a sad day after the encounter with the dead whale.

How would you like to have that thing dangling over your head?

Go back to

http://orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-whale012901.story

Baby whale's death remains a mystery

Beth Kassab
of the Sentinel Staff

January 29, 2001

FLAGLER BEACH -- Coast Guard workers set out Sunday morning to tow a dead baby right whale to shore so biologists could figure out what killed the endangered animal, but those plans were foiled when tough tides swept the whale under and kept it hidden from the surface.

The whale was spotted Saturday night about three miles from the Flagler Beach pier. On Sunday, officials used two boats and an airplane to try to find it. The plan was to drag it to the beach and then take it by truck to a marine facility so scientists could determine why it died.

"It just must have sank," said Scott Blackkettera Coast Guard petty officer second class.

Unless it resurfaces, there is not much more the marine officials can do to find it, he said.

Coast Guard officials determined the animal was a baby because of its small size in whale terms -- about 1 ton and16 feet long. Adult right whales can exceed 55 feet in length and weigh several tons.

At least 14 right whale births have been documented by marine biologists in the past two months off the coasts of Florida and Georgia. That number is unusually high, say scientists who have worried that the animal will soon be extinct. Only 300 right whales are left in the ocean, and only about 70 of those are capable of giving birth.

Biologists have not recorded more births since 1997, when 19 calves were spotted.

Blackketter said the Coast Guard also received reports of an apparently healthy mother right whale and calf several miles off the coast of Jacksonville during weekend.

The whales commonly give birth during this time of year off the Florida coast before heading north.

Female right whales have been birthing fewer calves in recent years, according to some scientists. Decreased food supplies, pollution, disease and genetic defects within the shrinking population are thought to be contributing factors.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Beth Kassab can be reached at bkassab@orlandosentinel.com or 904-851-7925.

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