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The Pictures below are just another graphic example of the dangers that befall sperm whales and mammals in general around the Sea of Cortez on a daily basis. On July 27, 2003 a female and her calf were entangled in a gill net. The owners of this gill net were aware of the whale being entangled but rather than help they simply cut the net loose from their boat and left the area. The calf drowned almost immediately and the mother named ms. moby is thought to have died as well. For more info on this story Click here.  On the 8th of August we responded to another report of a sperm whale entangled in a net hoping to find ms moby still alive but we encountered instead a juvenile male. We were successful in removing the net from his fluke. 

        Miss Moby wrapped in blue gill net with rescuer in foreground.                     Her dead calf which she carried with here for over a week

 8th of August around 14 days later a juvenile male was found entangled in yet another gill net. 

Gill net has been completely removed and an exhausted whale begins a 20 mile swim back to his group.

Baleanoptera physalus

Common name: Fin whale or Fin back: Length up to 85 ft., Birth wt. 2 tons, Adult wt. 30 to 80 tons, Diet: crustaceans, squid, fish, plankton, threats are entanglement in fishnets, Pollution, habitat destruction, hunting Whaling, human disturbance. Location: San Carlos Area In winter & spring

   Winter of  2002  

Fin Back whales, pygmy sperm whales (very rare), short fin Pilot whales, bottle nose dolphin, hundreds of common dolphin, California sea lions, giant squid. We know squid aren't mammals but they are cool to see just as well.  We are enjoyed over an 80% success rate for the winter 2002 season. Excellent weather and sea conditions were very helpful and we added another Fin whale to the catalog of whales in the San Carlos area. Your captain works with local biologists in the effort to catalog whales from the San Carlos area. If you are interested in a live aboard sailing trip to help catalog fin back whales see information below.

 I kite boarded with a group of 12 Fin Whales on April 5th, 2002 about 2 miles west of deer island!!

  These pictures were taken by  Dr. Juan Pablo Gallo PHD, around the first week of Feb. 2002.. It is a very seldom observed attack of Killer whales upon a pod of common dolphin we often encounter in the San Carlos area. Juan Pablo is in charge of cataloging fin whales in the area of San Carlos and was looking in fact for Fin whales when they observed this spectacle. Thanks for the shots Juan Pablo!

    Join us as we search San Carlos for the second largest cetacean on the planet. Many species can be seen and observed during the year in the greater San Carlos area. Orcas, Pilot whales, and Sperm whales to name just a few. Last winter a very rare group of pygmy sperm whales were spotted at dear island. But the Fin Back whales come through San Carlos on a fairly regular basis.  Stop by the Sonoran Sport Center or send me a email for a Whale Watching Trip.  I will get back to you and let you know what you chances are. We use our 40ft Trimaran Windsplitter for observing whales, no engine noise. Only sails!

Price $45 per person 

If you are interested in the pursuits of science then join us as we attempt to add to the catalog of existing Fin Back whales that winter in the greater San Carlos area. Bring your own camera gear, 300 mm lens or better, and help your captain in locating and photographing fin whales. The dorsal fin of mature Fin whales is used as a positive identification in the cataloging process.

We need pictures like these for positive identification of fin whales. I took these pictures the second week of Feb, 2002. We can use your help so please contact me if you are interested in some great sailing and helping us to understand more about Fin Whale migrations in the Sea of Cortez. We work with local mamamalogist and PHD Juan Pablo Gallo.

For these trips our 40 foot trimaran Windsplitter is used.