“News and views from the premier whale watching and ocean adventure vessel Condor Express, Santa Barbara California”
Volume 2, Number 2- Winter 2012
IN THIS ISSUE:
“Rope” the humpback whale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 2 Condor Express in the boatyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6 Calendar for December, 2012 . . . . . and January, 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7
Figure 1 - “Rope” the humpback whale spyhops. Read more about Rope on page 2.
As this issue of CONDOR Expressions goes to press here is a species update for our sightings in the Santa Barbara Channel. A few early southbound Gray Whales have already been seen off the beach although we don’t expect the full onslaught until later in December. Humpback Whales are still a daily occurrence in the east Channel, along with Minke Whales and thousands of long-beaked Common Dolphins. ©2012 - All photographs by Bob Perry, Condor Express Photos.com, except as noted. page 1
“News and views from the premier whale watching and ocean adventure vessel Condor Express, Santa Barbara California”
Volume 2, Number 2- Winter 2012
THE STORY OF THE HUMPBACK WHALE NAMED “ROPE.”
Figure 2 - Condor Express people grab their cameras as “Rope” the humpback whale makes a close and friendly approach (2012).
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Figure 3 - A close up look at the distinctive circumabdominal entanglement scar on “Rope” (2012).
uman fishing gear usually involves durable synthetic (plastic based) lines and ropes that do not readily degrade in the ocean. Commercial fishermen drop traps to the bottom to
catch spiny lobster, rock crab, slime eels (hagfish) and other species. Each trap necessarily has a long rope leading to an identifiable float on the ocean surface that marks the trap so it can be hauled in. More extensive systems of ropes and nylon monofilament lines are used in commercial trawl nets and gill nets to catch fish, prawns and squid. Some of this commercial fishing gear gets fouled on bottom features or is cut loose for other reasons to remain out there as a hazard to marine life for decades. Some sportfishermen have been known to cut off their “birds nest” wads of monofilament tangles and discard the whole mess into the sea. Large or small, these plastic lines may be invisible in the water and form webs that can entangle large animals such as whales. Entangled whales roll and thrash around trying to remove these ropes from their bodies. The internet is full of gory photographs of animals that drowned in nets, or had limbs actually cut off as they worked hard to disengage themselves. Other whales are more fortunate, are able to get free and are left with only a scar or two as a testament to their ordeal. Whale researcher John
Calambokidis told me privately that when looking at photo ID tail shots of humpback whales across the entire eastern North Pacific in the SPLASH program, somewhere between one third to one half showed signs of entangelment. (These numbers have not been published yet). Distinctive and persistent scars make it easy to spot individual whales, and so it was that the passengers and crew of the Condor Express first saw the humpback whale we call “Rope” breaching repeatedly southeast of oil platforms C, B, A and Hillhouse in the Santa Barbara Channel. Upon arriving on scene, the Condor Express found an adult humpback with a yellow polypropylene (plastic) line wrapped around its body, and it was concluded that all the breaching might have been for the purpose of dislodging the line. Rope stayed in the same area for a few days and several whale watch trips were sent out to see this whale, and eventually the poly line was gone and only a deep wound remained. This wound encircled the animal’s body between the blowhole and dorsal fin, and with time it became a clear and unique scar. Condor Express Captain Dave Beezer sums it up this way, “Rope has been a regular humpback year after year. This whale is practically a page 3
member of the crew we see it so often.” There is a controversy among the crew and several Condor regulars as to when, exactly, Rope was first seen in the Channel wrapped up in the polypropylene line. No one has been able to come up with a dated photograph to prove when this all happened. Captain Mat Curto seems to think this encounter took place on the old Condor, before the Condor Express was launched in 2002. One long-time Condor Express regular, Bernardo Alps, believes (pers comm) that he has photos of Rope dating as far back as May 2005. His ID is based on a comparison of tubercles alone at this point. John Calambokidis (pers comm) reports that the first official photo of Rope in the Cascadia Research database was taken in June 2008. This database includes photo ID images from both Cascadia Research surveys as well as Channel Islands Naturalist Corps contributions. John goes on to say Rope is “CRC-12567” in their system, and has been seen every year since, with no sightings photographed outside the Santa Barbara Channel. John also said that photographs of Rope’s back showing the scar
does not help ID the animal, as the database is based primarily on photographs of the underside of the tail flukes. Gray Whale’s Count census leader and Condor Express regular, Michael Smith, reports (pers comm) from his notes that Rope was sighted wrapped in polypropylene in May 2002. Michael goes on to say that Rope was originally called “Poly” (for the polypropylene line), and then changed later by the Condor Express crew. With regards to the name change, Captain Mat believes the original name was Rope, and a short lived attempt to use Poly was initiated by a former Condor Express crew member, Eric Nickish, (currently serving as captain of the UCSB R/V Cormorant), after this whale was seen a season or two later in the Santa Barbara Channel with a calf and thus Rope’s gender was confirmed. Poly was considered a more feminine name than Rope. Over the years Rope has been seen with at least 3 calves, and the name Poly never stuck. With or without her calves, Rope is a lot of fun to encounter on the Condor Express in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Figure 4 - Rope is seen in the background, underwater, with her calf on the surface in the foreground. (2011) page 4
Point Conception
Ventura
San Miguel
Santa Cruz Anacapa
Santa Rosa
Figure 5 - Map of recent sightings of Rope by the Condor Express. Map courtesy of CondorExpressPhotos.com
To see recent images please visit Rope’s web page: http://www.condorexpressphotos.com/Other/Rope-the-Humpback
CONDOR CALENDARS ! Now you can get the same tide calendars used by the Captain and crew in the wheelhouse of the Condor Express. (Calendars without tides are also available). Select from a variety of calendar themes each featuring the breathtaking photographs of nature taken aboard our boat by our Staff Photographer. They make great holiday gifts ! Available online at: http://www.calendarlink.biz/condorcalendars/home.html
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THE CONDOR EXPRESS RETURNS TO DUTY AFTER ANNUAL MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION On Wednesday, November 21, 2012, the Condor Express was launched at the Ventura Harbor boatyard, passed we our sea trials with flying colors, and sailed westward, back home to Santa Barbara. The Friday after Thanksgiving, November 23, was our first whale watching trip, and our normal calendar of adventure trips and party cruises is back in full force.
Figure 6 - Condor Express seen hauled out in boatyard for maintenance.
During our three week stay in Ventura, many things were accomplished by our hard working crew. Next time you are on board you will notice the entire main deck, inside and out, has been resurfaced with crushed walnut shells and repainted. Mechanical things were also attended to in the boatyard. Two of our four engines were over hauled and rebuilt. Not only are they now as good as new, but they were upgraded to the next tier for air quality. The Condor Express is now years ahead of the legal requirements set forth by the air quality board. Numerous other minor adjustments were made in the engine room and galley to better serve our passengers.
Figure 7 - Captain Mat Curto is photographed as he oversees all maintenance operations on the Condor Express.
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