#bubble netting

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Bubblenetting

In their Antarctic feeding grounds, humpback whales gorge on fat-rich krill for months, building up their blubber reserves for the challenging journey to tropical breeding grounds. Using a remarkable technique known as ‘bubble netting’, they skillfully trap their prey with precision

Photograph: Scott Portelli

The Siena International Photo Awards

[cosmonautroger]

[thelilnan]

Inktober 30: Catch

[sitting-on-me-bum]

“Bubble netting”

” Humpback whales spend the summer months in their Antarctic feeding grounds hunting energy-rich krill to build up sufficient blubber reserves for the long migration to their winter breeding grounds in the tropics. Using a technique known as bubble netting, several whales encircle a swarm of krill, crowd the swarm further by releasing a curtain of air bubbles, and then lurch in to feed effortlessly.”

by Scott Portelli

GDT Nature Photographer of the Year

[connectwiththecolorsofthislife]

Humpback whale bubble net feeding

[connectwiththecolorsofthislife]

Bubble net feeding

[scientificphilosopher]

A humpback whale blows an air bubble to the delight of onlookers. Whales use this technique, known as bubble netting, to corral and hunt fish. [x]

[ifyourehereyoumustbebored]

Today in Alaska

God, I cannot believe I have NOT kept up with this thing while I've been away. I'll blame it on computer problems (but now I have a super duper cool Mac that can launch a space shuttle... but i cant figure out quite how to get around without a right click... still no excuse.)

there isn't a lot of downtime I don't want to spend reading or sleeping (though here I am cruising the interwebs for random stuff)

excuse excuse excuse. i guess it comes down to me being to lazy and tired to write and thinking, eh, i'll tell everyone later.

Well, later has come and gone and now it's like mega later. I'm almost done with my contract here. In fact, 5 full work days and a half day saturday.

excuse me while i shout BOO-YA!!!

I still love the idea and many things about boat life. But I'm tired, worn down physically and emotionally. I've been here4 about a year with a 3 month break. I get one day off a month and won't be getting one this month. I work 12 hours a day. Granted, it's fucking unreal that I get to do what I do and mainly, get to do it where I get to do it.

But it's break time.

Before I head back to the dirty Jerz to promptly put back on 50 pounds and sleep for about 2 days, I'm going to fly up from Juneau to Haines to visit a good friend of mine from the boat. 3 days later I will be flying back to Juneau, then flying to Bellingham WA to hang out with a few more boat friends. THEN I'm flying to Oakland 3 days later, overnighting there, and driving to.... (drum roll please....no? ok) YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK! I'm super excited because I've always wanted to go. I remember my mother went to a wedding there and the pictures she brought back were like postcards. A group of us are meeting up and camping in tents. There will be hiking and lounging and fireside laughter. Then 3 days after my arrival there, back to CA and then flying home to the only place that keeps reeling me back in, New Jersey. And man, I cannot wait to see my family and friends. I'm probably going to awkwardly slobber over most of you faces, and that's before the tequila. You've been warned!

I feel like I've missed so much of everyone's lives but I know once I get back it'll be wonderful hearing stories as well as having my own to tell.

However, that's the future. The not to distant future, but not here, not now. Not today in Alaska.

Well I'm a fail and don't have any pictures from today, but we did start our morning off purple skies and the gold sun bursting from behind mountains into them. The beauty here still remains jaw dropping to me.

A lazy day is the best way to describe the work of today. Many things were planned but got delayed or put off mainly because of whales. And these whales werent just being big ole fishes swimmin around (lauren, they are mammals. you work on a natgeo boat, get with it), they were bubble netting!!!

this is where i would insert the photo i took if i had taken one!

  This is only our second time seeing it this season. We were cheering so loud on the bridge when they came up, their great mouths bursting up into the air from decivingly still waters. They are so BIG! We watched for about an hour, never getting bored. But, alas, we had to move on. Now we are anchored at Pavlof Harbor. The other day when we were here, we saw two brown bears fishing for salmon. When I mean saw, I don't mean through binoculars, I mean clooooose. The guests were on a hike and the two hungry bears were pawing at the water just across the river. It couldn't have been more than 50 yards. I was allowed to leave the boat and take a Zodiac close up to them as well. It was amazing. They just seem to swipe the surface and come up with dinner. Beautiful and terrifying creatures.

Today there are apparently more and we have Zodiacs standing by incase we need to quickly evacuate guests. Yeah, people pay good money for this shit.

My shift is over (1am to 1pm) and I'm opting to skip out on the crew hike and watch a movie instead with another crew member. Sometimes ya just gotta veg out.

Well, it's been to long and I miss you all. Yes, yes, even you.

Hope to keep in better touch, hear from you all, and reconnect with all my awesome folks back home.

til next time!!!