i've been volunteering for teen programs at the monterey bay aquarium for over ten years. the main program i am involved in is the student oceanography club, which is a school-year program that includes monthly aquarium- and field-based activities. we usually have around 50 kids in the program, aged 12-14, from all over the greater bay area. for a few years we even had kids from stockton!
these kids are my hope that the future of this planet is not completely doomed. they are bright, motivated, and creative individuals. for the last two years, teams of students have had to complete a year-long project as part of the club. their projects are so inspiring! students have created recycling programs in their schools, improved their school's program to be zero waste, successfully lobbied cities to institute plastic bag bans, and developed storm water reduction methods. we are closing in on another year in a couple of weeks and i cannot wait to hear about their projects.
we also get to do some pretty fun things with the kids outside of the aquarium and their projects. this year we are studying the deep sea...everything from the animals that call it home, to the adaptations other animals have to hunt for food there, to the technology humans have developed to study it. in the last couple of months, we have had the good fortune to get up close and personal with some of the marine mammals that frequent the deep sea to find food.
our first trip was to año nuevo state park where elephant seals haul out to breed and have babies. i've been to año a number of times, but it is always fun to visit and hear all the crazy sounds the elephant seals make. this year we had to have rangers accompany the docents on our hike because there were so many males very close to the normal walking route, so we got lots of good looks at the males.
lots of moms and new pups on the beach
new pup...but this lady did not appear to be the mom
lonely male hanging out by himself on the upper beach
(he hasn't won any ladies for himself this year)
is studying something about him - usually migration patterns
male that succeeded in securing his harem. the scars on his
neck are from fights with other males over territory and females.
last weekend, we went on an "oceanography cruise" in search of the birds and mammals that use the deep sea. our boat left monterey and headed straight for moss landing, where the deep sea canyon begins and where fish and mammals often congregate. the captain didn't pause for any birds or sea otters on our way out of monterey so i was pretty sure he had a line on some whales. sure enough, as we were approaching moss landing, we started seeing spouts. soon we were watching a couple of humpback whales doing their thing.
sea lions lounging in the sun
humpback whales!
no tail flukes for us...just humped backs and tiny dorsal fins
we watched them for a bit and then all of a sudden the boat started leaving. our naturalist told us there was a possible sighting of another animal. i haven't been whale watching that many times, but i have gone enough to know that you don't leave humpbacks for just any sighting. my hunch was orcas--a rarity in monterey bay--and sure enough, that is what we found. it was so great! i don't think the kids had any idea how lucky they were to see orcas in the bay...but the adults sure were excited!
orca!!!
orca with moss landing marine lab in the background
we got to watch three orcas for a bit before heading back to monterey. just before we entered the harbor, we came upon a big pod of risso's dolphins, one of my favorites in the bay. what a day! i'm reminded on days like this just how lucky we are to call this place home.
risso's dolphins - note their really rounded heads
my lunch spot after our whale watching adventure.
we are so lucky and grateful!
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