Hari Tau Hou e Te Whanau. To day the 1st of January 15, late in the evening two small pods of Pilot whales were sighted. The mitigation actions taken due to the fact there was no acoustic firing was to extend our pre observation time by an extra 30 minutes to allow the Pilot whales safe passage away from the vessel. There are two types of Pilot whales found in the waters of Aotearoa, the short finned Pilot whale, found in the Northern regions of the globe and the long finned Pilot whales found in the southern regions. The identification of the Pilot whales sighted yesterday could not be confirmed due to our limited visibility through the setting sun and northern positioning, placing the vessel bang smack in the middle of the species “cross over” zone. As today is new years day and I am reminded of friends and family, not only those of us living but also those departed. I am reminded of the importance of relationships, and on board theres no shortage of relationships. From the ships Captain and crew which includes the Galley and Communication people, the Marine Mammal Observers to the Seismic Survey Team and all the way down to little old me. Tolerance, respect and appreciation of each other’s roles and responsibilities are key factors in running a smooth and safe ship. My highlight to day was to learn and realize first hand that this seismic survey vessel will not be going any wear near Manawatawhi (the Three Kings islands). I know that some of my whanau had concerns and fears regarding seismic operations being carried out from Te Rerengawairua across through the Three Kings plateau to Manawatawhi in regards to Te Ara Wairua (Spirit Pathway) and the rare and ecology within this area. The most northern point in the survey was reached today this being 62 nautical miles away from Manawatawhi witch translates to 110 km. This for me is a positive and a great way to start the New Year. All the best wishes for a Happy, Safe and Prosperous New Year.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:31:12 +0000
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