Photo by Michael Fishbach
Photo by Devra Cooper
Photo by Michael Fishbach
|
Valentina is like most Humpback Whales; she enjoys warm, low latitude tropical waters in the winter where she will breed and later give birth. In spring, summer and autumn she enjoys cooler, high latitude polar waters where she feeds. She and her family of Humpback Whales make mammoth journeys, nearly 3,000 miles, every year between their feeding and breeding sites. Humpbacks are capable of travelling at 5 mph but, during such a long journey, they average only 1 mph, resting and socializing along the way.
The Central Coast of California is a part-time home to the Central Coast Humpback Whale, which feeds in the nutrient-rich waters of Central California from May through October, before traveling south to Mainland Mexico. The Humpbacks are natural acrobats and tend to breech, or jump out of the water, more often than other whale species. They particularly enjoy showing off their tail as they dive down deep into the ocean in search of sardines, anchovies, or krill. The show-stopping humpbacks can also often be seen slapping their flippers, spouting, sounding, tail-lobbing, lunge feeding, and spy-hopping.
That is until a few years later, on Valentine 's Day in 2011 Michael Fishbach, co-founder of The Great Whale Conservancy, encountered "Valentina" entangled in fishing net. She could not move and was fighting for survival. After Michael and his family saved Valentina, the young humpback whale gave them a Valentine show to remember.
Please go to The Great Whale Conservancy 's website and view the most heartwarming video of your day. (This is a Must See: Great Whale Conservancy)
This past August onlookers in Avila Bay's Port San Luis Harbor were dazzled recently by Valentina and her family "lunge feeding" on a bait ball near the pier. Humpbacks, pods of sea lions, and hundreds of sea birds delighted spectators and gave photographers the photo op of a lifetime during the week-long event.
Photo by Bill Bouton
|
The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from 39–52 feet and weigh approximately 79,000 lbs. The humpback's distinctive body shape includes unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the water. Males produce a complex song, which lasts for 10 to 20 minutes and is repeated for hours at a time. The purpose of the song is not yet clear, although it appears to have a role in mating.
Photo by Maryann Avila |
Apparently, strong northwest winds had caused an upwelling of nutrient-rich cold waters from the sea bottom that had fueled blooms of phytoplankton, which led to an explosion of krill. That, in turn, led to vast numbers of sardines congregating and forming a huge bait ball near the Avila pier.
Humpback whales are filter feeders which suck in sea water to capture thousands of fish and krill in a single gulp. Humpback whales are generally curious about objects in their environments. Some individuals, referred to as "friendlies," approach whale-watching boats closely, often staying under or near the boat for many minutes. Because humpbacks are often easily approachable, curious, easily identifiable as individuals, and display many behaviors, they have become the mainstay of whale-watching tourism in many locations around the world. Nature's display was an instant economic boom for the county.
Then, as the world was watching nature's display in Port San Luis, PG&E sent the Pacific Star and began low energy seismic testing. The bay went quiet. Then Valentina, her family, dolphins, sea lions, and even sea birds, moved on.
Valentina 's migratory return is set to begin just after this year 's 250 decibel seismic testing of "Box 4" ends. Next year she 'll be passing through on her way to the Sea of Cortez as tests begin again for Box 1 and 2. If she, her young son, or her mother isn 't directly affected by the every 15 second, 24 hour-a-day, 7 day-a-week blasts into the sea, their hunting grounds, their porpoise, turtle, seal, sea lion, and sea otter friends will be.
For Valentina and her family, we must Stop the Diablo Canyon Seismic Testing. To learn how join the Stop the Diablo Canyon Seismic Testing Facebook page.
Dinner Cruise on the Yacht Papagallo II Photo by Neil Ferrell / Bay News
Many past and present state, county and other elected officials and California Coastal Commissioners can be seen in this photograph. They include Sara Wan, Mary Schallenberger, Bonnie Neely, Steve Blank, Pat Kruer, Ben Hueso, Katcho Achadjian, Jerry Lenthall, Adam Hill, Bruce Gibson, Janice Peters, Betty Winholtz, Julie Tacker. They, and CCC staff and members of the public from San Luis Obispo County are gathered at the end of the journey that bonded them, having had experienced the most amazing show of nature imaginable. |
*Based on a true story. Authored by activist Julie Tacker. The image at the top of the page on the left was taken as Valentina's pregnant mother breached and flapped her flippers as she and her family put on a show for a Coastal Commission July 2007
