The Real Work Begins

Today is training day. We have been split into 2 teams of 4. My shift starts at 10am, the other team started at 8am. The scaffolding that will elevate us above the casual whale watchers at a lookout above Frenchman’s Beach is still being refitted for the survey, so today is just practice. Each team will have two shifts per day, Team A from 7-10am and 12-2pm, Team B from 10-12 and 2-5pm. The plan is to count the number of pods and their composition, along with spatial movements, over a 10h period. This will give the average number of whales that pass by every 10h day (also known as a relative abundance estimate). 2-3 people will act as spotters, 1 to operate the theodolite, and the final person to log the sightings into the computer. At the end of the day, we will take turns organizing the data in Excel and backing everything up. Now the work begins.

To keep active, I plan to run and surf with others most mornings. Even though the waters in the upper 70’s, I have managed to develop a cold surfing without a wetsuit. I may have to go into town and buy a springy. We haven’t had any other shark sightings since the first day, but there are plenty of shark nets offshore. Apparently they capture them in the nets and dump the carcasses out to sea in order to protect the beachgoers, what a waste. They should try and figure out a way to stop lighting instead, since it strikes and kills more than a shark. The waves on the first day were epic, head high peelers with an offshore wind, but they have dropped in size the last few days.

When they weather is bad, I will try to get some birding in. I can hear the Kookaburras everywhere, but have yet to see one. I also heard a few parrots this morning fly by. Yesterday, several Australian Gannets where chasing a school of large fish off the point. I’m also on the lookout for snakes and Koalas.

Still waiting on the Facebook page address, which will have lots of pictures posted during the survey. The photo I posted is looking south along the coast of North Straddie from Point Lookout. Tucked in the corner on the right is where I went surfing the first day. You can barely make out the shark nets. Sorry Mom.