ACS Monterey Bay Program for October 2006

Gray Whale Obstacle Course;
Jean-Michel Cousteau and Pam Stacey, producers

Thursday, October 26, 2006 7 p.m. Refreshments, 7:30 p.m. Program Lecture Hall, Monterey Boatworks, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove (Across from American Tin Cannery Outlet Stores)

Over the years there have been several attempts to film the Gray Whale's story but this newly released PBS Home Video surpasses all the others. The life history details of this uniquely coastal whale species were filmed by Director of Photography Chuck Davis of Pacific Grove and his crew.

The story begins in Magdalena Bay, the southernmost calving lagoon, and follows the migration north to Barrow on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Throughout the film, experts are interviewed, greatly enhancing our knowledge of this species which passes our shores twice each year. These include Jorge Urban (Baja calving lagoons), Alisa Schulman-Janiger and John Heyning (Los Angeles area), local ACS member Nancy Black (Monterey orca predation sequence), Wayne Perryman (female/calf census and energetics), Bruce Mate (feeding off the Oregon coast) and John Calambokidis (Washington and Vancouver Island feeding and photo identification). We also learn more about native hunting including the Makah, northwest Washington State and finally the Barrow, Alaska area and how it will be affected by Global Warming changes. The opportunity to see this beautifully photographed film on a large screen is an added bonus.

Alan Baldridge, long time ACS/Monterey Bay member and co-author of the soon to be published new edition of the Gray Whale (Monterey Bay Aquarium), will introduce the film. Please join us.

Related web pages:

• Links to additional information and photos of Gray Whales

• Back to list of previous meetings.