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Duncan Murrell - A Whale of a Time

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Duncan Murrell - A Whale of a Time

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  • Shoal of red fish that was trying to avoid a whale shark with a tourist from the banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_8230.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with tourist and shoal of red fish evading predation, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_8229.jpg
  • Dead puffer fish washed up on beaches are a very painful hazard to avoid. They are like little mines that cause an explosion of pain if you are unfortunate enough to step on one.
    Kayaking- Gulf-of-California28.jpg
  • My next destination was to attempt to get out to Nosy Atafana, a small group of three islands surrounded by a coral reef just to the north of Antanambe, that constitutes one of only four protected marine parks in Madagascar. I was able to buy some fresh supplies at Antanambe for the trip. It was the first time that I had actually seen any of the fish species that were on sale in the market. Most of the marine habitats that I had observed along the way so far were very sparsely populated with fish.
    Kayaking-Madagascar-journey22.jpg
  • My next destination was to attempt to get out to Nosy Atafana, a small group of three islands surrounded by a coral reef just to the north of Antanambe, that constitutes one of only four protected marine parks in Madagascar. I was able to buy some fresh supplies at Antanambe for the trip. It was the first time that I had actually seen any of the fish species that were on sale in the market. Most of the marine habitats that I had observed along the way so far were very sparsely populated with fish.
    Kayaking-Madagascar-journey23.jpg
  • The west coast of Scotland is one of the best places in the world, along with my home region of the SW of England, for seeing basking sharks, the second largest fish in the world. They can grow up to 10m (33ft) long. They are an open water shark, but move closer to shore in summer to feed on the plankton bloom. They are usually solitary, but occasionally gather in aggregations of 100 or more where there are large concentrations of plankton, usually where there are tidal fronts where different water masses meet. They are filter feeders, and in 1 hour they can filter 1.5 million litres (330,000 gallons) of water through their gills. They are highly migratory, but long-distance tracking of individuals only began recently, and it is still unknown whether they migrate between lower and higher latitudes, or between deep and shallow water. Their livers contain a large proportion of oil typical of deepwater sharks, which may indicate that they spend some time in deep water. Very little is known about their breeding. They probably mature late and reproduce slowly, making them particularly vulnerable to overfishing, especially as fisheries catch more females than males. They were once fished commercially on a small scale around Scotland for their huge livers, which contain oils formerly used in various industries, with a peak recorded catch of 250 sharks in 1947. But in response to dwindling numbers the basking shark has been fully protected since 1998. <br />
Because they swim at the surface, these magnificent sharks are easily harmed, either deliberately or accidentally. Currently, potential threats include bycatch in fishing nets, and disturbance or impact by jet-skis, speedboats and other vessels. Globally its conservation status is currently listed as vulnerable.
    Kayaking-West-Coast-Scotland13.jpg
  • Black and brown bears congregate at the salmon spawning streams during salmon to gorge themselves on the bounty of fish choking the rivers. They always squeeze out the eggs with their jaws to extract the protein-rich eggs. I found black bears to be much more of a problem than brown bears because they were much bolder, and certainly very persistent trying to get to my food. On one occasion I climbed a tree and hung some dry bags out along a branch over the river as far as I could reach, but a black bear managed to climb up the tree, and reach out far enough to use its powerful paw and sharp claws to rip the dry bag away from the heavy-duty nylon webbing sealing the bag. Black bears (Ursus americanus) are the most abundant and widely distributed of the three species of North American bears. An estimated 100,000 black bears inhabit Alaska. The black bear is the smallest of the North American bears. Adults stand about 29 inches at the shoulders and are about 60 inches from nose to tail. Males are larger than females, and weigh about 180-200 pounds in the spring. They are considerably lighter when they emerge from winter hibernation and may be about 20 percent heavier in the fall when they’re fat. Black bears can vary in color from jet black to white. Black is the color encountered most frequently across the state, but brown or cinnamon-colored black bears are sometimes seen in Southcentral Alaska and on the southeastern mainland. Cinnamon-colored black bears are also common in Alaska’s Interior. Some bluish-colored bears called glacier bears may be found in the Yakutat area and in other parts of Southeast Alaska. Black bears often have brown muzzles and some also have a patch of white hair on their chest.<br />
Black bears are most easily distinguished from brown bears by their straight facial profile and their claws, which rarely grow more than 1 ½ inches in length. Black bears have adequate sense of sight and hearing, but have an outstanding sense of smell.
    Alaska-wildlife-bearAlaska-wildlifeA...jpg
  • They are opportunistic feeders and eat a wide range of fish including herring, Pollock, salmon, cod and rockfish as well as squid and shrimp. I have even observed them catching seagulls on the surface.
    Alaska-Steller-sealion9.jpg
  • The snorkelling around the islet where I camped for a week was excellent. There was a shallow underwater shelf that extended out from the northern end of the islet and because of the strong upwelling around the islet there was abundant marine life. This was the most surprising creature I encountered a very short distance from the shore, a stone fish, that blended in perfectly with the seaweed, apart from its incredible eyes, which seemed to be illuminated by fire. I was able to approach it very closely with a certain degree of caution.This was my first ever trip with a reasonably good underwater camera, and my first attempts at some serious underwater photography.
    Kayaking- Gulf-of-California68.jpg
  • Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeanglia) cooperative feeding using a bubble net, Tenakee Inlet, Southeast Alaska, USA.<br />
<br />
This photo illustrates the power of the whales when they surge to the surface. Their gaping jaws, scooping up hundreds of litres of sea water and fish, must exert a tremendous amount of drag. Some of the herring they were pursuing can be see flying through the air to escape their open mouths.
    Humpback whales-21.tif
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  • When it comes to food, black bears are creatures of opportunity. There are certain patterns of food-seeking which they follow. Upon emerging in the spring, freshly sprouted green vegetation is their main food item, but they will eat nearly anything they encounter. Winter-killed animals are readily eaten, and in some areas black bears have been found to be effective predators on new-born moose calves. As summer progresses, feeding shifts to salmon if they are available, but in areas without salmon, bears rely on vegetation throughout the year. Berries, especially blueberries, ants, grubs, and other insects help to round out the black bear’s diet.<br />
For most of the year, black bears are solitary creatures, except from June through July when mating takes place. The cubs are born in their dens following a gestation period of about seven months. The cubs are born blind and nearly hairless, weighing in under a pound. One to four cubs may be born, but two is most common. Cubs remain with their mothers through the first winter following birth.As with brown bears, black bears spend the winter months in a state of hibernation. Their body temperatures drop, their metabolic rate is reduced, and they sleep for long periods. Bears enter this dormancy period in the fall, after most food items become hard to find. They emerge in the spring when food is again available. Occasionally, in the more southern ranges, bears will emerge from their dens during winter. In the northern part of their range, bears may be dormant for as long as seven to eight months. Females with cubs usually emerge later than lone bears. Dens may be found from sea level to alpine areas. They may be located in rock cavities, hollow trees, self-made excavations, even on the ground. In Southeast Alaska, black bears occupy most islands with the exceptions of Admiralty, Baranof, Chichagof, and Kruzof; these are inhabited by brown bears. Both bear species occur on the southeastern mainland.
    Alaska-wildlife-bearAlaska-wildlifeA...jpg
  • Over-under photo of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with a tourist below a tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_0637.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7453.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with Spanish tourist and guide from the tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_3558.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with the Captain and guide of the tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_3376.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with freediving cook from the tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawanDMurrellSE...jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) vertical suction feeding with guide from the tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_2917.jpg
  • Spanish tourist hanging on to the dorsal fin of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) after being told that it was prohibited, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_8453.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_2530.jpg
  • Juvenile whale shark (Rhincodon typus) swimming below snorkeller, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_2222.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) ascending beneath banca tour boat with snorkeller on the surface, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_9736.jpg
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  • Cook from the tour banca boat assisting a tourist watching a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with a shoal of rainbow runner (Elagatis bipinnulata), Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawanDMurrellSE...jpg
  • Tourist diving down to a whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawanDMurrellSE...jpg
  • Juvenile whale shark (Rhincodon typus), with tour guides and tourist, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_9161.jpg
  • Juvenile whale shark (Rhincodon typus), with tour guides and tourist, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_9156.jpg
  • Over-under photo of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) swimming beneath a tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_9026.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7441.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7385.jpg
  • Tourist and guides snorkelling with whale shark (Rhincodon typus) by the tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7370.jpg
  • Tourist and guide snorkelling with whale shark (Rhincodon typus) by the tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7360.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7229.jpg
  • Tourists snorkelling with whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7076.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) feeding on plankton at the surface with tourists, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_5339.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) feeding on plankton on the surface with tourists, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_5210-E...jpg
  • Myself on the left with guests and crew on the whale shark tour banca boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_2563.jpg
  • Tourist diving with a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) , Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_2415.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_1935.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with guest and cook from the banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_3170.jpg
  • Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with guest and cook from the banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_3016.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_7859.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_9798.jpg
  • Over-under photo of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) below banca tour boat, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_9755.jpg
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  • I was awestruck when I was close enough to watch one cruise past me just beneath the surface. My first impression was that I was looking at a very prehistoric creature that could have been swimming alongside aquatic dinosaurs. It was astonishing to watch how the appearance of their head changed so quickly and dramatically as soon as they opened their jaws to commence feeding on the plankton soup; I can best describe it as a large umbrella popping open. I wasn’t in a position to climb out of my kayak to swim with them so I had to attempt to photograph them from the surface. I had brought a Canon G5 compact camera with a wide-angle extension lens, inside an Ikelite housing to take underwater photos. I had to try to position myself directly in front of them but not obstructing their passage, but that was difficult to do because when they are feeding they don’t just swim in a straight line but more in circles. I had to be very patient to get some reasonably good shots, and of course I was only holding the camera and housing over the side so I had to anticipate and estimate when they were in the frame. It took quite a lot of trial and error before I was successful. The visibility was very low because the water was so thick with plankton, which attracted 3 or 3 sharks as far as I can remember. I was so transfixed by these amazing but strange looking creatures that I had to drag myself away from them because I still had a long paddle ahead of me to get to Mull and Lunga, but I was quite sure that it wasn’t my last encounter with basking sharks on the trip, and fortunately I was right about that. It has recently been confirmed by data collected by the Wildlife Trusts that the place where I had my first encounter with basking sharks, Gunna Sound, between Coll and Tiree is a hotspot for them with numbers up to 4 times higher than recorded elsewhere in the UK.
    Kayaking-West-Coast-Scotland12.jpg
  • From Ariganour I paddled south along the east coast of Coll passing the big open Crossapol Bay with extensive sandy beaches, and stopped to camp near Calgary Point and the small island of Gunna in the strait that divides Coll from the adjacent Isle of Tiree. It was another really beautiful location, and kayaking around to the west coast allowed me to experience the ocean swells and the feeling of open exposure to the North Atlantic. The next morning shortly after heading out for the long crossing to the south end of Mull and then Lunga, I had the encounter that I had been hoping for – basking sharks !! In the distance I could see their tall tail fins sweeping from side to side, and as I got closer, their unmistakeably comical bulbous snout ploughing across the surface above their massively inflated jaws while feeding on plankton. I was so excited, and full of eager anticipation to get close enough to see them underwater. It was one of those magical moments akin to when I had my first whale encounters in a kayak. I couldn’t wait!!
    Kayaking-West-Coast-Scotland11.jpg
  • Leucistic oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris) barrel roll feeding on tropical krill in Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philippines
    whale-shark-Puerto-Princesa39.tif
  • Leucistic oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris) barrel roll feeding on tropical krill in Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philippines
    whale-shark-Puerto-Princesa40.tif
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  • Tourist following a juvenile whale shark (Rhincodon typus) with two common remora (Remora remora) attached to its head, Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_3799.jpg
  • Two tourists swimming with a whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawanDMurrellSE...jpg
  • Tourists observing a whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Honda Bay, Palawan, the Philppines.
    whale-shark-people-palawan_MG_0500.jpg
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