This site has a lot of information on the right whale that might be of interest to some of you,
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/special/Rightwhale.pdf

There numbers are few, around 300 which puts them very close to extinction and when and if they are no more there's it no second chance, Gone.Gone. Gone. Funding for research is an ongoing undertaking, which shouldn't be since we all benefit from the creatures we share this planet with. Perhaps there are opportunities for some of us to participate in a small way by recording what we see and observe when at sea, perhaps also by offering and participating in some of the research going on by universities.

My daughter is doing some research this summer on the Right whale, thanks partly to some kind sole offering the use of and sailing them to some of the old whaling sites to extract DNA from the bones that are over 500 years old, a generous offer but also an experience he wont forget . Sort of like that movie `paying it forward` I Think it was called.
When someone does you a good deed you pass it on to someone else, makes the world a better place, its not about dollars and cents, its about what is right, ( no pun intended )
So there's that choice we all have, sit back an joke about it or take that step forward and
do something constructive, Like the wind in our sails it can take us in any direction but we have that choice of where that is. Just my two cents worth. Ben

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Sculpture in Steel . Where art imitates life, or is that the other way around ??? www.benmcleod.com

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"Brien Alkire" wrote in message ...
I've been following the story about the tangled right whale off of South
Carolina (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4587367/ for instance).

It is wonderful that there are many people working hard on trying the help
the whale and I don't doubt their abilities.

However, I am puzzled by the reports I read. Two days ago it was reported
that the effort was called off due to bad weather off the South Carolina
coast. I checked the NWS buoy information and reports in the area, and they
indicated rather calm seas (10 to 15 kts max, 2-3 foot seas max).

Now I am reading that it is called off today because it would take until
noon to get the whales location, which is too close to dark. They're going
to wait and hope the whale comes closer to the coast.

I don't understand. They are using a 70 foot research vessel. Why can't
they remain overnight and try in the morning? How calm do they need it to
be? I live in what's considered a "light wind" area, and NWS reports of 10
to 15 kts is generally considered light here.

Again, I don't doubt the ability of the people working on this, but I'm just
confused by the details.

Any thoughts?