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Another Whale Mail

Minke Research — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:56:28 +0000

I always wonder what it is that connects Swiss people so much with the sea and marine mammals. Although we haven’t got an ocean ourselves we do have so many marine biologists, research projects and organisations in our country which support the sea and its beings. So many Swiss give their lives in their home country up and live somewhere abroad to follow this dream of working on the water and being in contact with the marine environment.

The whale mail I got the last week is from my family and showes a magazine, full with Whale information introducing different Swiss researchers and projects. The educational part of the magazine is really good and was a nice surprise. Unfortunately we are not mentioned this time nor are any other Minke Whale projects. But maybe next time!

The other interesting thing which is going on in Switzerland about whales is a heavy debate in the parliament which has started this week. A new law is suggested to be introduced soon which shall ban any import of Dolphins and Whales. Most people will now think: what? they import Dolphins and Whales? I must admit with embarassment that we do and will write more about it in the coming days when our newspapers will have updated us about the issue…

The next season is still unsure for us and I can’t really tell you where and how we will work…but it certainly will be exciting again next summer – as it always is with Minke Research.

Minke Research in a Swiss magazine

Minke Research — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:11:29 +0000

To our great pleasure Jael Xandry has been interviewed by the Swiss/German magazine “Brigitte”. The article introducing our project and work in Norway has been published yesterday. Unfortunately the magazine can only be bought in Switzerland, however we post a picture for you.

Hopefully we will get more opportunities like this – this is a good way to get people to know about Minke Whales! Great work Jael, thank you very much

We are analysing the data 2011

Minke Research — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:51:51 +0000

Our data analysis is pretty time consuming at the moment. One of the reasons is the fact, that even though we have internet and the possibility of sending e-mails, our data often has to be sent by post. Last summer we collected up to 600 high resolution pictures which contain an immense amount of data volume. There is no way we could send all these pictures, audio files and GPS data by mail. We have to go back to the good old postal mail.

Désirée usually prepares the raw data in England and makes it ready for interpretation. Once this step is done, everything gets sent through to Switzerland where Jael studies the tables & maps so we can learn from what we have seen on the water. A lot of work – 95 x approximately 8 hours of audiodata had to be listened to and Jael will soon look through about 300 pictures.

But this data is the fruit of our work. It is the maps, tables, times, the wind and sea state, the tides and coordinates which make us suddenly understand what was going on in the Norwegian Sea last summer. And each year we understand a little bit better what these animals are up to out there.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Minke Research — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:38:14 +0000

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone! It is the second time I can post this on our wall. Our website has now existed for a year and we are so very happy to have had so many visitors throughout our first year. Thanks for all your support!

I have to admit, it has been very quiet on our website these last weeks. This is simply because we are now working, living a normal life and earning the money to be back on the water next summer. BUT not everyone is as quiet as we are. I was very surprised to receive a letter addressed to Mrs. Minke Research. In it we found several articles about a dead Sperm Whale which has been found and analysed in Germany. Great stuff! We got the letter from one of our visitors who had been on a trip with Whalesafari last summer. To us, this is exactly what whale research is about: to live with the whales, to find them in our everyday life, to have the interest and to care about the animals and our planet.

So we send a great thank you to Germany and we would like to encourage all of you to send us whatever you can find if you want to. We love to interact with people and find out about news all over the world. Usually we keep YOU posted – feel free to keep US posted too!

We hope you all have a good time with your friends & families – enjoy the Christmas time! We will be back next year and as soon as we can with our first results and pictures from the research season 2011. Thank you for being with us!

New Team Member: Debbie Wilson

Minke Research — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:35:09 +0000

We are back online after our trip along the coast of Norway.

During our trips and the season on the water, it can sometimes be hard for us to get access to the internet and keep our website as well as the facebook page updated and espacially save for you. We had some problems with spam lately which we simply don’t notice when we are on the road. It is of our highest priotity to make sure you don’t have to worry about spam and viruses on our sites and thet you can click any link safely – we want to keep the content of our posts clean and valuble for you.

You may have noticed already on Facebook that Debbie Wilson has become administrator of our page and the group. Debbie will also be administrating this website. Usually nothing escapes Debbie’s eyes, she keeps our pages clean and safe and we are happy to welcome her in our team, giving us great support online as well as on the field during the research season. She has spent two weeks in Norway with us, joining everyday on the boat as a field technician – nothing escapes her eyes also not the whales. With her professional background and extensive knowledge about all sorts of animals, marine mammals and especially birds she is an enrichment for the teams skills.

We are back online and we will keep you posted – see you soon!

On the road: The last 2 weeks

Minke Research — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:11:35 +0000

After crossing the arctic circle, we stayed out in the wild for a long time and therefore it was impossible for us to find any internet access to keep you posted the way we usually do.

Things change everytime we cross the arctic circle – the landscape changes dramatically as well as the people and the towns. As the country seems to be the mirror of the Norwegian sea, we noticed a strong change along the costal waters, which became a lot more busy. The sea traffic seems to increase the further south we head and of course through that also the marine mammals escape to more quiet places – just like we do. We haven’t seen anymore Minke Whales so far and the far North seems to be the best place to find and study these animals. The far North where small fishing villages and the rough weather keep the nature clean and free.

We will soon head back home to our families and friends and start to work on the collected data. See you soon and enjoy our pictures from Southern Norway!

On the road: Day 6-9

Minke Research — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:30:00 +0000

Narvik.

Many rumours tell that there should be Minke Whales in the area of Narvik. We have been driving through all bays the last days but most of them are private and we could not access them as the area is getting more and more urban. A bit disappointed we sat down in front of our tent and watched the beautiful bay of Narvik.

And suddenly Jael said next to me: “blow!” 3 Harbour Porpoises were swimming slowly through the calm water. We grabbed our cameras in excitment as we know: Minkes are often in the same area as Harbour Porpoises…

Ok, we have to admit, so far we haven’t seen any Minke Whales – so far…

If not Minke Whales then some culture we said and as we both have a strong interest for any kind of industry, Narvik seems to be the perfect town for us. The heavy industry of the small Northern town is based on iron and steel. Trains and freighters leave the town 24 hours a day and the railway is right next to our tent – typical North.

It’s the rain which makes us leave. We are heading South from now on and most probably we will cross the arctic circle tomorrow.

On the road: Day 4+5

Minke Research — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 09:32:13 +0000

The nature of the Southern Lofoten is incredibly beautiful and stunning. Rough mountains, a fresh green and crystal clear fjords seem to follow us.

In the very South we finally found what Svolvær was supposed to be: Reine, THE whaling village. 5 of 21 registered Norwegain whaling boats leave from Reine every year. Fishery and whaling are essential for the 1100 people living here. Therefore it was no surprise when we saw whaling boats in the harbour of the small village.

In the local whaling museum we found an almost complete Minke Whale skeleton and we got the chance to talk to a whaler from Reine.

As soon as we are back home and have an office and the luxury of some electricity we will collect and share the information we found in this museum and explain more about the Norwegian whaling here on our website. We now head further North and hope to finally find some Minkes somwhere along the shore. See you soon!

On the road: Day 2 + 3

Minke Research — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:41:04 +0000

After one day on Langøya, we arrived in Svolvær, the whaling capital on the Lofoten islands. Quite a lot of people refere to this place being the whaling town up here north. But we haven’t noticed anything so far, appart from one single whaling boat in the harbour. We haven’t seen any fishing industry or fisher men so far – those people we would like to contact and who would know where the Minke Whales are. The difference to the Versterålen is impressive - the Lofoten islands are much more touristy and not as traditional as the Vesterålen. We will keep driving along the Lofoten for the next few days in hope to find some information about the Minke Whales. In case we don’t, we will have to enjoy nothing but this incredible nature….

Online for you – no matter where we are…

A huge Minke Whale in Myre on Langøya!

Lofoten….

On the road: Day 1

Minke Research — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:23:14 +0000

The season here in Andenes is over and Minke Research is hitting the road again.

The equipment is in the car, we are ready and start our route along the cost of Langøya. Let’s hope for some Minke Whales on our way and keep in touch with us – we try and do our best to keep you posted with our journey through this beautiful courntry!