Expect days full of variety and activity. After breakfast at the accommodations, some team members will take to the sea on a boat and follow transects—set paths along the shore—to photograph each animal they spot and record its location, behavior, and any human disturbances in the area.
The other group will be stationed at a lookout point on shore, where they’ll also scan the sea for marine mammals and record the same information. Or they may spend the morning working with data, creating GIS maps of sighting locations or matching photos of individual whales with those taken at different places along the North American coast.
The small groups will rotate tasks, so everyone will have a chance to try every task. After your days in the field, you’ll have leisurely evenings to cook, share meals, relax at the accommodations, or otherwise enjoy the mild Southern California nights.
Although we of course can’t guarantee whale sightings, your expedition coincides with peak numbers of foraging whales, such as blues and humpbacks, in the area, along with permanent resident populations of dolphin species. We look forward to welcoming you to the Pacific Ocean and introducing you to some of its most impressive, yet vulnerable, inhabitants.
Note: Field conditions and research needs can lead to changes in the itinerary and activities. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.