Another dead whale

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by CODCHALY

I was on two boats that hit Whales on way to TUNA Grounds. Both Hits removed Prop shafts, and in the darkest of night. One out of Belmar ( highly respected Charter Capt). Won't name Boat or Capt. Early 1990's.
Another, more recent, again, darkest of night. Same , Headed to TUNA Grounds
again, took whole prop shaft.
I am one lucky Person. Have any of You experienced how FAST a repair at Sea must be made, when taking on Water. Every Passenger, both Times became Crew !!!

Cod I can't even imagine losing the prop shaft or any other through hull fitting at night heading offshore. Experience must have been terrifying for you and everyone else on board, happy you got through it to tell your story.

To give context to your experiences, two whale strikes over how many years going offshore. And curious, since it was the darkest of nights you mentioned, how did the captain or crew know it was a whale strike as opposed to floating debris? Not questioning you, just curious how you knew in both instances it was a whale the vessel you were on hit.

[CODCHALY]

#82, most fish finders read Whales. No clue how many times I've been Offshore. I could sit down and over 50 years of Log Books and collect that answer. I honestly forget how many days at Sea I needed to get my License, which has been retired 20 years.
https://www.westmarine.com/seafit-wo...s-4641080.html
These should be on every prop driven boat, and a sledge hammer.
I got involved in Coast Guard AUX. Started just to Operate a 12 ft boat legally on Delaware River, 1970. Amazing the stuff I learned from them. Moved pretty far up the Ranks, before it got Political and I quit. But before quitting They awarded me some nice MUSTANG SURVIVAL gear. I was Mate on Charter boat, and never retrieved anchor in dark without my survival vest, with pockets. Knife, strobe, signal mirror, whistle. Like an idiot, I left that vest on vessel.
I've since bought two more, one for me, one for Wife. I had no idea how expensive they were. Like I typed, my original was Awarded to me.

[CODCHALY]

I went back a page. Someone Posted, they never, HIT, SEEN, or HEARD of a Whale getting HIT. I don't fish strictly from NJ. 1998-2000, I Operated out of Indian River, Delaware (That gig came to a screeching halt when boat owner got divorced), anyway one Summer, for quite a few weeks a large Whale carcass, almost seemed anchored, attracting many sharks. Was an amazing site. I never carried a camera (too much crew work to be done), and before phones had camera built in. Back then I had a MOTOLLA flip phone, ATT.
And that phone, as a phone was much better then the hi tech phone I'm using today.

[CODCHALY]

Here's a funny Whale story (not according to the Captain, though).
One Summer, chunking Tuna on a Charter Boat out of Belmar. I was second Capt, ten Passengers, Master, and Mate, all sleeping, and I had a Right Whale keeping me Company all night. When I wasn't feeding it enough chunks it (male/female, I D K) It started bumping Transom, that finally woke up Captain, He wasn't Happy at all. Made me pull anchor and we moved. I wish I had that on video, hand feeding a Mammal that could swallow me whole. Whales are very Friendly. I've played with them from Newfoundland, as far as Homer, Alaska.

So, YEAH I'm against wind turbine, not only in Ocean, I'm also against killing Birds Inland !!!

[Broad Bill]

Here's a post I pulled from a different site. Very interesting and insightful based on the subject matter of this thread.

"Not one mention of the internal memo Sean Hayes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) chief of protected species wrote on May 12, 2022 warning of the impacts offshore wind development would have on marine life along the East Coast. It stated "The development of offshore wind poses risks to these species, which is magnified in southern New England waters due to species abundance and distribution. These risks occur at varying stages, including construction and development, and include increased noise, vessel traffic, habitat modifications, water withdrawals associated with certain substations...." The East Coast is in the midst of a seven-year whale die-off that caused NOAA to declare an Unusual Mortality Event. What else started seven years ago? Offshore wind lease sales really geared up in 2015-16, with nine big sales off New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Massachusetts. These sales generated a lot of activity, including geotechnical and site characterization surveys. Site characterization typically includes the protracted use of a shipboard device that emits an incredibly loud noise often for hours at a time, as the ship slowly maps the sea floor."

Here's a link to the full article for anyone interested.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bid...les-months-ago

Imagine having an MRI done for a month straight around the clock, does anyone honestly believe your ability to function wouldn't be impaired or you'd even still be alive. That's in my opinion what's taking place with wind farm development and I believe the data from science exists to support and quantify the collateral damage we're seeing occur. There's problems we need to address on this planet and along with those changes are risks, some acceptable for the greater good and some not. Most would accept that. What no one should accept are the lies told, in light of science's own data, to justify a predetermined narrative.

[CODCHALY]

Broad Bill, Post #86. If this FORUM had a like Button, I'd Hit LIKE !!!

[AndyS]

They built these wind farms in other areas, correct. Were whales not killed during that construction, or is this a first ?

[Pennsy Guy]

You all know it's about how much money will we get by saying yes. It's common knowledge that whales use an audible (even to us ******* humans) sonar for echo locating, vocal communication, what we call "singing". This administration, local, state, federal, have their hand out and vehemently nod affirmably what comes out of the White House. Humm,,,how many countries world-wide, without any seaside, give a damn about the whale. Every one with access to the sea wants to rape it---take it all, we have people to feed, money to make.
The wind mills will be built, the whales will die, the gov't will impose more speed restrictions--after the mills are in operation, deaths decrease, gov't, NOAA will point their finger, slap themselves on the back, say " See, we knew what we were talking about.== Good, you all keep your jobs. It's an unfortunate set of circumstances which are unfolding, but, unfortunately, inevitable given the mindset of the hierarchy. The world is indeed, laughing at us.
OH, I don't want the whales to die, feel privileged to see them both in and offshore, but the refusal to face the real cause is truly asinine.

[Gumada]

Originally Posted by AndyS

They built these wind farms in other areas, correct. Were whales not killed during that construction, or is this a first ?

Here you go Andy,

This is NOAA’s site for humpback deaths from 2016 to almost present covering the UME. If you filter year by year you can follow the carnage that directly correlates with the wind turbine work from north to south. Unfortunately it only covers humpbacks not all cetacean deaths.

https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/we...bfc84e931ba54c

[Exit135]

It's a simple analysis, cost vs. benefit, as it has always been and always will be.