FWC #0370Bolshoi is a whale we saw on our trip the day before. It seems this whale decided to stick around and take advantage of the large amounts of food located the Ball Park feeding grounds. On this trip the captain observed on the fish approximately 50-150 feet below the surface on the depth sounder.
Bolshoi Our research assistant, Lauren, noticed an entanglement scar on Bolshoi's tail stock. Due to the large amounts of lobster and gillnet fishing gear in the Gulf of Maine, whales occasionally become entangled in the line, that can become wrapped around the tail stock and chaffe into the skin, then leaving a scar. These scars are very important to photograph. Not only do they allow us to identify the whale, but also monitor its health prior to an entanglement.
Many species of seabirds were observed including, red-necked phaloropes, fulmars, northern gannets, shearwaters, Wilson storm petrel, and two North Atlantic puffins which flew around the boat!
On the afternoon trip, a group of 4 finbacks surfaced very close to the boat! Allied Whale's research vessel the Borealis, emerged from the fog. Researchers from Allied Whale were out offshore deploying pop-up buoys. This research equipment is used to record the sounds whales makes below the surface. The buoys remain submerged in hundreds of feet of water for 3 months collecting the sounds of large baleen whales like humpback, finback, and right whales.
Two other finbacks were located as well, with a total of 6 finback whales seen on this trip. Still many seals and birds around as well.
