This afternoon I had an issue with the good folks at Sound Watch (a group of mostly volunteers) who sometimes get a little over zealous in protecting and educating people about Orcas.
Sound Watch called me on the vhf and Vessel Assist Center, from California, answered up. SW then proceeded to tell Center that I'd just run over a pod of whales (not so.) In fact I was running off shore 90 degrees from the whales.
I called Sound Watch on the radio to get their cell. They agreed that I'd not erred. To set the record straight I asked that they call Center back tell them what occurred. They asked for the phone # and I requested they make the call via radio so all who had been listening would know the scoop.
Thanks Sound Watch for making the correction.
Mistakes in any business or organization will happen. How folks respond is the test of character.
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7 comments:
The wife wants to go up the West side and "see some" Orcas...really dragging my feet..I think its just plain wrong...think Im going to have her take the granKids on one of the FH whale boats...Sound Watch seems to be getting edgy'r n edgy'r keeping the world off these animals..Its not going to break my heart to see all this chase and harasment end, period..live and let live...one armed paperhangers rule....Doug
Sound Watch = The Barney Fife's of the Salish Sea. Okay, I *know* their intentions are proper and they do more good than harm, but yours is not the first story I have heard where they "make things up" to advance their agenda. Some days they seem hell bent on making an example of someone, anyone, to justify their being there. True, some people are idiots, but MOST really do try to adhere to the rules -- If I am in a touchy situation, I will mimic what the whale watching boats do (that's a whole other post, for sure) and THAT sometimes doesn’t work. I think they are still upset with you, Richard, for edging the pod a week or two ago to save that boat headed for the rocks. Welcome to their list. At least you know who to talk to set the record straight. The rest of us just have to put up with their megalomaniacal ways. As for the whales, I am one of the few who thinks they mostly enjoy the mystical contact with those curiosities on the surface. When they don’t want to be found they make themselves scarce.
I have never met Richard personally, well not yet anyway. From what I HAVE read and our e-mail exchanges I cannot imagine anyone more careing about the seafaring life. It is unfortunate that most, if not all, environmental 'self-appointed-police' are so intolerant. First of all before they act they should find out the facts from the person involved. Then on assessing the facts have a fixed published procedure on the next stage, if one is actually necessary. Using the radio on general transmission is a real cheap-shot. Used to haress other seafarers it is probably an illegal act. If environmentalists worked more WITH people rather than blindly AGAINST them we would protect nature better together. This "Sound Watch" seems on the path to being another "Sea Shepherd" with the same contemptable results. May I suggest they review themselves, their procedures and find out how they can be really effective. Start by working with such excellent people and seafarers as Richard. "Sound Watch" is welcome to contact and consult with me, make a start by visiting 'NAUTICAL LOG'. Continue to look out for the whales but sensibly.
Good Watch
Several days ago, The New York Times published a wonderful essay – 'Watching Whales Watching Us'.
Much of the article is devoted to fascinating tales of the Baja California grays, but there's a lot more. It's an eye-opening read, with terrific information on whale-whale and whale-human interaction, references to a number of recent studies, and a note about the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Navy v whales.
Sound Watch needs to be more careful. Incidents like this completely blow their credibility. If they accuse folks of harrasing whales when they are in fact not, nobody will listen to them. After that, their mission is completely useless. They don't have police powers, they can't "make" anybody do anything, even though they may act like it sometimes.
Andre's logic makes sense.
So, I'd really like to go on up and see some whales ... should I should I not take a whale watching tour? Is taking a tour basically a ticket to whale harassment, or not?
I suppose I'll run across whales soon enough during my San Juan small boat wanderings.
This might be a good time for a refresher on the law passed to protect the whales.. After all, that's what this is all about, whether or not one is within 100 yards of them, right? As long as everyone (whale watch boats, private vessels, and everyone else) stays at least 100 yards from them, which the law requires them to do, the whales should be ok. Prior to the law, people would boat right up next to them, which is what we consider harresement (not to mention, plain stupid)
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