Whale watching in Backstairs Passage July 9th 2011
WATCH OUT, WHALES ABOUT!
National Whale Day 2 June 2012
Australia’s Fifth National Whale Day
“Cooperation for Cetacean Conservationâ€
United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2012
Launched in 2008 by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) National Whale Day celebrates the unique relationship Australians have with whales, but also draws attention to some of the threats they face today, which include whaling, climate change, vessel strikes, marine debris and ocean noise. This year the theme is ‘Watch out, whales about!†and aims to encourage responsible behaviour on the water around whales and dolphins.
Kangaroo Island Dolphin Watch volunteers intend to leave Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island early in the morning aboard Andrew Neighbour’s KI Marine Adventures vessel and travel over Backstair’s Passage to mainland South Australia. We will then travel down the coast in the hope of seeing whales and recording information about dolphin pods at Deep Creek and Waitpinga.
We travel on to Victor Harbor, home of the SA Whale Centre, and meet SA Whale Centre volunteers and Victor Harbor Dolphin Watch volunteers on board Dan Irvine’s “Big Duck” for a “WHALE ENCOUNTER” in Encounter Bay where Matthew Flinders and Nicholas Baudin had their encounter many years ago. Dr Mike Bossley AM of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society will be on board the “Big Duck”. After combined “whale spotting” and recording we will celebrate over lunch at the Granite Island Café before heading on our
separate ways.
This will be an outstanding event and we are hoping to capture media interest through its unique and quirky use of historical context, all with the intent of awareness raising regarding issues of Cetacean welfare and conservation. As with last year’s event due to windy weather, the event has been rescheduled to the following Saturday 9th June.