1987 9/12 Fissure Second sighting
Kids had gone back to school, the boat was much less crowded and we had to travel a bit further south down Jeffrey's ledge to find whales. Most likely the humpbacks were getting ready to migrate. They needed to add as much body fat as they could to make the long journey to the Caribbean. There they would have their calves, or mate and then make the same trip back to the northern Atlantic without feeding again until they returned!
THE MAP:
Measurements are in fathoms (1 fathom= 6 feet) So:
- The * on green is Kennebunkport where our boat was anchored.
- Light blue is as much as 20' deep.
- medium blue as much as 180' deep
- dark blue is as much as 600' deep
If you click on the map it will take you to a larger version that has notes. Run your mouse over the surface of the map and more notes will show up.
It felt like fall was settling in for humans and whales alike. Even migrating birds hooked a ride with us as they started their long journey south. We made a good reststop, complete with hamburger buns and crackers, either dropped or shared with our visitors.
87 9-12 Fissure02 500 copy
Originally uploaded by yeimaya.The two boats were quite close together and Fissure came up in the middle, spinning around first one way then the other. I worried that he was sandwiched too closely between boats. But reading through my notes it is clear he had no problems navigating that small space.
And I needn't worry that all the attention would overwhelm him... he spent several minutes spyhopping and spinning to face us then to face the other boat. He was obviously loving it!
87 9-12 Fissure01 500
Originally uploaded by yeimaya. He went through a whole range of behaviors each one more outrageous than the one before. He did a somersault just below the surface, and wagged his tail back and forth (that's what I say in my notes wish I had pictures or could remember it)!
But I do remember he "stood" on his head, flukes above the water, using his 15 foot flippers to spin slowly around. They glowed green in the depths and were like wings as they made the leisurely gesture that spun him. I was too flabbergasted to take pictures of that, but can still "see" it.
Each time he would come up and look at us intently for a minute before he dove again . It seemed like he was both absorbing our excitement and planning what to do next.
It reminded me of the time he had blown the bubble clouds for us the previous summer.
As we backed off and headed for home, Fissure was still interacting with the other boat. Since it was such a cold lumpy day, neither boat had many passengers, and possibly some of theirs were inside feeling under the weather.
But Fissure appeared so curious and eager while his audience appeared so restrained almost intimidated. It felt sad leaving him. Of all the whales I met he touched my heart... and still does.
This is Fissure's official picture in the catalogue taken in 1987. He even has the same periwinkles (or whatever they are) crawling down the trailing edge of his fluke.
And this was my last photograph of Fissure.
A wonderful woman who went on every whale watch boat she could when she wasn't working, wrote that he was seen several times after this sighting. This is what she described:
"Barney (our nickname for Fissure) has been hanging around off Cape Ann for the last 3 weeks, making lots of new fans for himself. He paid Mason (naturalist out of Gloucester?) a visit when they were out on an 18'outboard on Oct.20. Seems he wrapped himself around their boat, stood on his head the works! What a ham. Now perhaps they'll believe the stories I have been telling them about that whale. I saw him Saturday, Oct. 24 but he was very interested in his new sibling and did not come over to the boat (Fissure's mother, Veil had been seen with her new calf that year). Saw him again on Nov. 1 and he was for a time with another whale named Wrap, but left to pay us a visit. Did his routine for us! Very cold that day but it sure was worth it."
Most of the whales were down in the southern end of the Gulf of Maine by then. Many were gobbling up their last meal before they headed south to the Caribbean and the calving and mating grounds. It is not certain that a teenager like Fissure would actually go south since he wasn't ready to mate.
As far as I know, he has not been seen since but one can always hope... it is a big ocean. If there are any whale folks reading this and you have seen Fissure since please let me know. He has a very special place in my heart. He would be twenty years old now... a somber patriarch!
THE MAP:
Measurements are in fathoms (1 fathom= 6 feet) So:
- The * on green is Kennebunkport where our boat was anchored.
- Light blue is as much as 20' deep.
- medium blue as much as 180' deep
- dark blue is as much as 600' deep
If you click on the map it will take you to a larger version that has notes. Run your mouse over the surface of the map and more notes will show up.
It felt like fall was settling in for humans and whales alike. Even migrating birds hooked a ride with us as they started their long journey south. We made a good reststop, complete with hamburger buns and crackers, either dropped or shared with our visitors.
September 12th was what we call a "lumpy" day. The wind had blown pretty hard the two days previous and there were 3-4 foot swells. People did not enjoy the 2 hour ride out to Jeffrey's Ledge.Once we got there it was hard work staying with whales even though we knew there were several around: they rarely fluked, the white mist (usually was very visible when they exhaled, the "blow" of "thar she blows") was getting knocked down by the wind. We were just about to give up and go home when.... up popped Fissure in his usual manner, right beside the boat. Our friendly competitor joined us and Fissure settled in to his antics between the two boats.
87 9-12 Fissure 500
Originally uploaded by yeimaya.
87 9-12 Fissure 500
Originally uploaded by yeimaya.
87 9-12 Fissure02 500 copy
Originally uploaded by yeimaya.
And I needn't worry that all the attention would overwhelm him... he spent several minutes spyhopping and spinning to face us then to face the other boat. He was obviously loving it!
87 9-12 Fissure01 500
Originally uploaded by yeimaya.
But I do remember he "stood" on his head, flukes above the water, using his 15 foot flippers to spin slowly around. They glowed green in the depths and were like wings as they made the leisurely gesture that spun him. I was too flabbergasted to take pictures of that, but can still "see" it.
Each time he would come up and look at us intently for a minute before he dove again . It seemed like he was both absorbing our excitement and planning what to do next.
It reminded me of the time he had blown the bubble clouds for us the previous summer.
As we backed off and headed for home, Fissure was still interacting with the other boat. Since it was such a cold lumpy day, neither boat had many passengers, and possibly some of theirs were inside feeling under the weather.
But Fissure appeared so curious and eager while his audience appeared so restrained almost intimidated. It felt sad leaving him. Of all the whales I met he touched my heart... and still does.
This is Fissure's official picture in the catalogue taken in 1987. He even has the same periwinkles (or whatever they are) crawling down the trailing edge of his fluke.
And this was my last photograph of Fissure.
A wonderful woman who went on every whale watch boat she could when she wasn't working, wrote that he was seen several times after this sighting. This is what she described:
"Barney (our nickname for Fissure) has been hanging around off Cape Ann for the last 3 weeks, making lots of new fans for himself. He paid Mason (naturalist out of Gloucester?) a visit when they were out on an 18'outboard on Oct.20. Seems he wrapped himself around their boat, stood on his head the works! What a ham. Now perhaps they'll believe the stories I have been telling them about that whale. I saw him Saturday, Oct. 24 but he was very interested in his new sibling and did not come over to the boat (Fissure's mother, Veil had been seen with her new calf that year). Saw him again on Nov. 1 and he was for a time with another whale named Wrap, but left to pay us a visit. Did his routine for us! Very cold that day but it sure was worth it."
Most of the whales were down in the southern end of the Gulf of Maine by then. Many were gobbling up their last meal before they headed south to the Caribbean and the calving and mating grounds. It is not certain that a teenager like Fissure would actually go south since he wasn't ready to mate.
As far as I know, he has not been seen since but one can always hope... it is a big ocean. If there are any whale folks reading this and you have seen Fissure since please let me know. He has a very special place in my heart. He would be twenty years old now... a somber patriarch!
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