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COCO’S ISLAND - Undersea Hunter, March 28-April 7 2010 |
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Sperm Whale Discovery trip and Humbolt Squid night dives!
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To find out, the researchers traveled to the Gulf of California, also called the Sea of Cortez—a narrow stretch of ocean that separates the Mexican mainland from the Baja Peninsula. "The central Gulf of California is a uniquely advantageous location to study the behavioral ecology of sperm whales and their squid prey," the authors wrote. "Sperm whales are abundant year-round and appear to feed heavily on jumbo squid, a species that is easily captured and amenable to tagging. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to simultaneously study a mesopelagic predator and its prey using electronic tagging techniques." "It's very rare to find a place like the Gulf of California where you can actually see sperm whales together with their prey," added Davis, an expert on marine mammal behavior. "I can't think of another place in the world where this would be possible." -- Full story from a Stanford site. |
COST: 7nts $2700.00 per person plus $50.00 conservation fee
Allow me to take this opportunity to introduce our new boat El Mechudo a 45' luxury boutique catamaran with 4 state rooms ensuite, which offers great possibilities! El Mechudo will be used for more intimate and customized trips and we can choose the dates. 7 passengers. Best fit is 2 couples and 3 singles. Included in the price will be diving, great food, beverages( sodas and beer)!
400 to 500 Sperm whales live year round in the Sea of Cortez, from June thru Sept/Oct they come in closer to shore and are within the islands between Loretto and Lapaz.
We will have a Sperm Whale specialist on board to offer insight and information on these amazing creatures. This trip will mostly focus on finding the Sperm Whale pods and slowing entering the water on snorkel, to film and interact with them. The night dives with Humbolt Squid will be an event not to be missed! Some diving will be offered on the trip but the focus will be in finding the whales and getting into the water with them!!
During this time frame will also be mantas and whalesharks! If you are interested in this wonderful adventure, please email us so we can organize dates for this September or October.
Contact Cindi at Request Info to reserve your spot!
Facts about Sperm Whales - copyright National Geographic
Sperm whales' heads are filled with a mysterious substance called spermaceti. Scientists have yet to understand its function, but believe it may help the animal regulate its buoyancy
Sperm whales are easily recognized by their massive heads and prominent rounded foreheads. They have the largest brain of any creature known to have lived on Earth. Their heads also hold large quantities of a substance called spermaceti. Whalers once believed that the oily fluid was sperm, but scientists still do not understand the function of spermaceti. One common theory is that the fluid which hardens to wax when cold helps the whale alter its buoyancy so it can dive deep and rise again. Sperm whales are known to dive as deep as 3,280 feet (1,000 meters) in search of squid to eat. These giant mammals must hold their breath for up to 90 minutes on such dives.
These toothed whales eat thousands of pounds of fish and squid about one ton (907 kg) per day.
Sperm whales are often spotted in groups (called pods) of some 15 to 20 animals. Pods include females and their young, while males may roam solo or move from group to group. Females and calves remain in tropical or subtropical waters all year long, and apparently practice communal childcare. Males migrate to higher latitudes, alone or in groups, and head back towards the equator to breed. Driven by their tale fluke, approximately 16 feet (5 meters) from tip to tip, they can cruise the oceans at around 23 miles (37 kilometers) per hour.
These popular leviathans are vocal and emit a series of "clangs" that may be used for communication or for echolocation. Animals that use echolocation emit sounds that travel underwater until they encounter objects, then bounce back to their senders revealing the location, size, and shape of their target.
Sperm whales were mainstays of whaling's 18th and 19th century heyday. A mythical albino sperm whale was immortalized in Herman Melville's Moby Dick, though Ahab's nemesis was apparently based on a real animal whalers called Mocha Dick. The animals were targeted for oil and ambergris, a substance that forms around squid beaks in a whale's stomach. Ambergris was (and remains) a very valuable substance once used in perfumes.
Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivore
Size: 49 to 59 ft (15 to 18 m)
Weight: 35 to 45 tons (31.8 to 40.8 metric tons)
Group name: Pod
Did you know? Sperm whales and giant squid may be mortal enemies. Many stories of deadly battles between these two massive animals exist, and sperm whales have even been seen with suction cup-shaped wounds and remnants of giant squid in their stomachs.
Protection status: Endangered
Size relative to a bus:
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