The Log

Season 2007

August 30, 2007 - Iceland quits commercial whaling!

It was a surprise when Iceland quit commercial whaling last weekend. The government ended the short episode after just one year. More than 100 tons of whale meat and blubber are on stock in Icelandic refrigerated warehouses with no demand for it...

Both the markets for whale meat on Iceland and Japan collapsed after researches found out that it is contaminated with so called POPs (persistent organic pollutants). The International Whaling Commission put this issue on their agenda back in the year 2000.

The resumption of commercial whaling by Iceland was incomprehensible with this scientific background. It is a victory of all the consumers: the ones refusing to buy whale meat in Iceland and in Japan and the all tourists cancelling their booking for Iceland. After the announcement to get back to commercial whaling bookings dropped by significant 25%!

August 24, 2007 - Ashley about The Whalesong Project...

Hi, I'm Ashley. I'm so glad you guys were able to get all the songs, sounds and even pictures. I wish I could do that with my family. The baby whale was so cute. I want a baby whale for a pet, but I don't think it will fit in my pool. hahaha! I love whales so much I actually started crying because my teacher said that people hunting whales will kill them all off. I thought if all the whales are dead by the time I grow up then I couldn't take my kids to see them on a cruise boat or anything. Thanks for doing everything that you guys did!!!!!!        

Sincerly, Ashley - Age: 12

August 8, 2007 - No sonar off California

Florence Marie Cooper, federal judge in Los Angeles didn't allow the Navy to use high intensive sonar off California's Channel Islands for the next two years. Great news not only for our beloved humpback whales but also for about 30 species of marine mammals. The Navy wanted to use powerful sonar blasts for anti-submarine tests. Cooper said there is a 'near certainty' the sonar tests will harm marine mammals without effective mitigation. The humpback population of the North Pacific migrate along the California coast line from Mexico to Alaska and vice versa. NRDC and five other environmental organizations sued the Navy to cancel a series of anti-submarine exercises for the next two years.

Please see two more detailed articles by CBS2.com here and by the San Francisco Chronicle here

July 3, 2007 - Hawaii passes law to fight global warming

Hawai'i became the second state after California to pass a statewide cap on global warming pollution yesterday. The Global Warming Solutions Act which was passed by overwhelming bipartisan margins establishes a state policy to get Hawai'i's greenhouse gas emissions down to 1990 levels by 2020. It's a challenging and important goal as global warming is a threat for the Hawai'ian Islands as well for the oceans and the whales. Global warming has an influence on the whale's food chain. There will be less krill if the ice crust of Antarctica is melting, which means whales would have to cover a much greater area to find enough food.

June 12, 2007 - Whalesong on tour in Germany

Whalesong is on board of the 'MS Wissenschaft' - this barge is touring Germany with an prestigious exhibition with the motto: 'Language is more than words'. It is all about language and communication - not only between humans on earth but also between animals. One part of this exhibition is about communication between marine mammals and it shows that the 'silent ocean' is far from being silent. Whalesong provided information about the humpback whales as well as photos and sound files to the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR). The presenters are expecting more than 70.000 visitors this year. The 'MS Wissenschaft' will stop in more than 30 cities in Germany until October, 7th. If you'll have the chance to visit, please see the schedule here. Learn more about the idea behind 'Wissenschaft im Dialog' (dialog with science) here.

Moreover we are proud to announce that we are also be involved in the project 'the future ocean' of the so called 'Cluster of Excellence', a network of researchers at the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel (CAU) and the participating Leibniz Institutes in Kiel, Germany. This interesting exhibition will take place until July, 6th. This network of researchers investigate past, present and future ocean change, explore marine resources, develop strategies for their sustainable use and study hazards arising from the seas. You will find more on the 'Cluster of Excellence' here.

June 2, 2007 - Discussion with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Concerns expressed to our Washington D.C. Representatives. Thanks to Whalesong Project Advisor and friend, Senator (retired) John Vasconcellos (www.politicsoftrust.org), Whalesong Project Executive Director Dan Sythe was able to meet personally with, and express concerns to, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and U.S. Congress 11th District Representative Jerry McNerney at the home of Robert Klein, Los Altos, California.

Read the full story here!

June 1, 2007 - CITES Declaration overturns St. Kitts Declaration

The ban on commercial whaling was confirmed by a huge 37-4 majority yesterday! This is a great and important success as this so called 'CITES Declaration' overturns the 'St. Kitts Declaration' of 2006: last year the pro-whaling member states won this vote which declared that a ban on commercial whaling was no longer need. It was the first time in the IWC history that the pro-whaling countries won a vote! So this is a wonderful ending of this years meeting. This victory goes as a suggestion to the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) meeting which will be held in the Netherlands next week. As happy as we are now: it'll be a long way until the whales are saved.

May 31, 2007 - Delta and Dawn are 'out of sight'

There is no sight of the two wayward humpback whales in San Francisco Bay. The rescue team assumed that Delta and Dawn must have slipped through the Golden Gate at night. This would be the end of a more than two week ongoing odyssey where they headed 90 miles up the Sacramento River. 'If we have learned anything about these two, they are going to do what they want to do, when they want to do it,' said Bernadette Fees, spokeswoman with the California Department of Fish and Game. It's most likely that they are back on their migration route to Alaska now which was high time as you could see on a close up shot by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of Delta's skin which shows significant changes:

59. IWC meeting in Anchorage, Alaska - update

The proposal for a Southern Atlantic Whale Sanctuary - brought in by Brazil and Argentina - was defeated today: there were only 39 supporters out of the 76 member states. A 3/4 majority would have been needed to install this sanctuary from Brazil to South Africa.

May 30, 2007 - Delta and Dawn are 'wayward' no longer!

The last sighting of Delta and Dawn was yesterday afternoon when they passed Angel Island, heading for the Golden Gate Brigde. There is an increasing confidence that they already found their way into the ocean again during the night. 'The thought is, if we don't have a sighting by late afternoon, it's safe to assume they are now in open water,' said Bernadette Fees, spokeswoman for the California Department of Fish and Game. We are crossing fingers here at the Whalesong office and are happy about the latest developments. Check on the whales' track here.

International Whaling Commission in Anchorage, Alaska - update

Subsistence whaling quotas was on the schedule today. The United States managed to secure its ongoing bowhead quota for the Alaskan Inupiat and Yup'ik people as well as the Russian Federation. St Vincent and the Grenadines succeed in getting a quota of four humpback whales - for the Bequia people the hunt also has a religious meaning. Denmark's proposal for an increased number or 'takes' for their territory Greenland failed to reach a consensus.

May 29, 2007 - Delta and Dawn head towards the Ocean, Memorial Day, National Security

Dan reports great news from California: The "wayward" whales, Mother Delta and calf Dawn, were last seen heading towards the ocean and near the Martinez Benicia Bridge. They left Rio Vista as they came, for unexplained reasons. Maybe they just needed some 'space.' We all need that sometimes... The area North of the Rio Vista
bridge was a lovely quiet place (when boats kept their distance and they weren't being herded), and many people came to watch, pray, smile at the sight of these whales.

A lot of excited people are lining the shoreline near Benicia on this holiday. It being Memorial Day, I visited the grave of my Father, Robert Sythe, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He fought in the war so that there would be a safer world for his children and others, and he also extended his caring to the Natural World. He was a conservative Republican who believed in conservation of our Natural Resources.Being a Navy man with a passion for the Oceans, Dad loved Whales.At his graveside I pondered the ironic fact that the Navy he served in has exempted itself from the Marine Mammal Protection Act... that the high intensity underwater sounds the Navy uses to protect our National Security also has caused, and has the potential to harm and disorient, our Marine Mammal Friends.After considerable contemplation, I think it is appropriate that the U.S. Coast Guard, a division of the Homeland Security Department, is the Steward of these whales. I think it is a time for us all to ponder what true Homeland Security is. Protecting our Homeland from invasion, from enemy missiles and submarine attacks, is, of course, important. As is protecting our sons and daughters in uniform. And, I think, we need to also recognize that without healthy oceans, a healthy environment, we do not have true Homeland Security.I'd like to suggest that healthy oceans and a healthy environment be part of the Mission Statement for the Homeland Security Department. And I wish the Coast Guard, a, division of our Homeland Security Department, good luck and God Speed in escorting Delta and Dawn home to the Pacific Ocean. And I pray the Navy will use due diligence in their use of sonar, and take precautions to protect Delta and Dawn as they continue their journey. With Aloha, Dan

See the whales position on an interactive map here.

May 28, 2007 - Meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Alaska

The International Whaling Commission convenes in Anchorage, Alaska for its 59th Annual Meeting from 28-31 May. Japan demanded for the end of the ban on commercial whaling. Norway and Japan are killing whales for so-called scientific reasons - Japan even announced to hunt humpback whales in the Antarctica this year. The whale populations are not strong enough to stand commercial whaling. We are all concerned of a shift by the commission to a more pro-whaling stance as Japan has recruited at least 19 countries in recent years to support their view to 'utilize' whales. Four new members of the IWC could help the whales this year: Greece, Cyprus, Croatio and Slovenia. We will keep you up-to-date on latest developments in Alaska.

May 27, 2007 - Whales may need a new tune...

KCBS reports on Dan's activities: "A whale expert from Maui is urging rescuers to use a recording of a male humpback whale singing as he escorts a mother and calf to lead the whales stuck in the Delta back out to sea." Read the full story here.

May 25, 2007 - Whalesong with the Whales in Rio Vista, California

Dan Sythe, The Whalesong Project U.S.A. Executive Director, became concerned early on by the situation with the Humpback Whales that took a trip up California's Sacramento River to the State Capitol of Sacramento. He called numerous agencies offering support from The Whalesong Project. As time has progressed, and the health of the whales has deteriorated, he grew increasingly concerned. He flew to California and showed up in Rio Vista in time to see the whales before sunset on Tuesday evening.

Read his full report here

Please also read a report of ABC local here

May 17, 2007 - Humpback whales in the Port of Sacramento

The Whalesong Project has been contacted by CNN and others regarding the
"wayward" humpback whales who have traveled up the Sacramento River to the State Capitol of California. Efforts are underway to lure the whales back
to the ocean using the sounds of whales feeding in Alaska. You can follow
developments in this fascinating story at sacbee.com and cnn.com.
We are offering the use of any of our recorded materials to coax them back
to their natural habitat in the ocean. The attached recording, by Kent off
of Maui on March 22 with a stereo hydrophone, is one of our most recent
recordings. Click here to listen (large file 2 MB!) People have asked us, since we study whales and do so much whale observation here on Maui, why these whales are doing what they are doing. We have to acknowledge, as do many in the scientific community here, that much of what these whales do is mysterious to us.

One thing is clear. They have much larger brains than we do, and they are
master navigators of the world's oceans. Do whales really get lost, or are
they doing this on purpose, for reasons that we just don't understand? I
offer a few possible reasons for this inland venture:

1. The humpback whales here in Hawaii seem to be seeking human contact more than in previous years. We often observe them approaching people in boats, and people swimming in the ocean. They don't usually seek close intimate contact in the same way that dolphins or dogs do. A little distance with proximity seems to go a long way with humpbacks. They certainly seem to be bringing out people along the river there. They tend to generate a lot of excitement when they show up, whether its Maui or at the California State Capitol.

2. The whales are considered Aumakua, ancestral guardian beings or spirits,
to some Hawaiian families. Some Native American Tribes ­ and other cultures, and religions, including Christianity - claim spiritual and/or ancestral connections to them. These creatures are shown great respect by Maori, Hawaiian, and other Polynesian People. In the Hawaiian tradition, Aumakua (which can include other animals such as Pueo, owls, and Honu, turtles, or Mano, sharks) can show up at times when there is a great danger or a spiritual need for connection and/or protection. Sometimes they carry messages. The meaning can require thoughtful introspection and listening to one's heart. Sometimes their appearance is referred to as Ho'ailona, a sign, signal or omen.

3. The Navy has declared itself exempt from the Marine Mammal Protection Act and submitted its intention to test powerful new sonar technologies in the
world's oceans. Sonar has caused mass strandings and deaths of whales and
dolphins at various locations around the world including the Bahamas and the
Canary Islands. These incidents have been well documented and acknowledged by the Navy. During one incident at Hanalei Bay on Kaua'i, melon headed whales came into the bay and tried to keep their heads above water to escape the apparently uncomfortable effects of sonar during a Rimpac exercise. Perhaps this mother is trying to keep her baby out of harm's way, or, possibly, she has been disoriented or damaged by sonar contact. Without sound scientific inquiry it will be hard to know when whales are affected, but we should all be concerned about the impact of this technology on ocean health. We at the Whalesong Project believe that true National Security recognizes the importance of ocean health to our well being in America, on this planet, and should balance the security of marine life with other security interests.It's an interesting coincidence that these whales arrive at the Capitol on the same day that a legal challenge to planned Navy sonar deployments was filed by Ocean Mammal Institute, Earth Justice, and other organizations. See www.biologicaldiversity.org for more information.

We on Maui are missing our humpback whales, who have headed North for Alaska. We have been enjoying the text, photo and video footage of the visit of our Kohola friends to the California State Capitol. We wish you people in California good luck in coaxing our oceanic friends back to their natural home. And we encourage all of us to listen to our hearts and inner voices to hear what they are communicating.

May 15, 2007 - The official whale season in Maui County waters ends today!

During the time of December 15 through May 15 the state has banned thrill crafts from operating in Maui coastal waters to protect the whales in their breeding grounds. Meanwhile most of the whales headed back north to Alaska to feed on krill and small fish. It's a long journey of about 3.500 miles which they usually complete in 30 to 39 days. We can't wait to see them again later this year... We'd like to thank everybody making this awesome project happen! It wouldn't be possible without all the people donating their love, time and money! Thank you ever so much!!! The hydrophone is in need of repairs that will require a boat and calm seas. We do hope that it's not a severe damage... we will keep you posted!

We are playing one of our recordings right now!

April 25, 2007 - It's International Noise Awareness Day today!

The impact of noise on hearing, health and the quality of life can be no longer be disputed. Noise is more and more a health strain for humans - for the oceans noise is becoming a certain danger. Increasing noise pollution is affecting the navigational abilities of the whales.There are three main sound sources that life in the ocean has to deal with:

Boat and shipping traffic: studies of Dr. Marsha Green show that whales behave different at a noise level of about 120 db - lots of small vessels cruising around Maui reach this noise level. Whales react by swimming 2 to 3 times faster than usual to avoid the noise. Supertankers for example can reach up to 190 db (this is 3.200 times louder than 120 db!) and can be heard under water one day before they actually get there.

Air guns: used by the industry for oil and gas exploration. In times of dwindling resources the use of these air guns increased dramatically. They detect the sea bottom with the use of 250 db loud sound blasts which are sent down every 5 seconds - for hours! Hydrophones are picking up the echo, providing the industry with the information whether oil or gas would be available under the surface. 250 db (this is 3.2 million times louder than 120 db) marks the loudest noise ever produced by humans apart from dynamite.

Sonar: low and mid frequency active sonar systems are able to detect quiet vessels and therefore it produces extremely loud sound waves (up to 235 db). Imagine standing in a distance of about 20 feet from a Saturn V rocket taking off... According to the Navy this noise can be heard in an area of 2,4 million square miles - that means a sonar testing can be heard within the entire North Pacific. The problem is that tests are being held in areas where whales are located. For comparison only: as little as 85 db it is dangerous for the human ear! Contrary to the whales, humans can close their windows or just put on ear plugs to protect themselves against the noise. They are unprotected against underwater noise pollution and the loss of their sense of hearing often means death as they lose the ability to navigate. Therefore it is not astonishing that the significant increase of whale strandings are being linked to sonar tests.

April 22, 2007 - It's 'Earth Day' today!

The Whalesong Project is very proud to announce it's participation at Earth Day 2007:

We are bringing the songs of the Hawaiian humpback whales to Japan!

Whalesong Executive Director Dan Sythe speaks at an Earth Day event at Kurimoto Earth Village near Tokyo, presenting The Whalesong Project and sharing the songs of the beautiful mysterious humpback whales! Japan unfortunately continues whaling under the disguise for science. It is our utmost concern to inspire the people in Japan with our broadcast. We want to bolster the increasing crowd of Japanese people opposing this senseless killing.

April 20, 2007 - From Whalesong Executive Director Dan Sythe in Japan:

Our Whalesong Team has worked very hard this season to bring all of you around the world the beautiful songs of our Humpback Whales for this, our seventh season. This project is a labor of love. The website development is done in Germany by Markus Enderle, our financial and legal work is done by Treasurer Gail Nickerson in California, and we have a big team on Maui that keeps the various technical aspects of the physical system working. People all over the planet contribute in various ways to make this project possible, and contribute in their own ways to revitalize the world's oceans and make them healthy. I am reporting from Asia where I recently spoke at a conference on Earth Environment and Human Consciousness in Okinawa, and speak tomorrow at an Earth Day event at Kurimoto Earth Village near Tokyo.

This picture is of Dan Sythe, Mayumi Mori and Haumea Hanakahi at the conference in Okinawa

I am currently on Oshima Island, off of the coast of Japan, with a view of Mt. Fuji. I am traveling with another Whalesong Team Member, Haumea Hanakahi, President of New World Solutions Group LLC. We are hosted by Myumi Mori, another Whalesong supporter (she likes to use the word co-creator, and it seems appropriate. Each of us involved in this project are co-creating it and it couldn't unfold in the beautiful way that it does without each of the people who show up each year. A deep thank you from me to each of you.

It is the first donation Whalesong has received in Japanese Yen. It will be spent conscientiously to benefit the world's oceans. Thank you, Mayumi and our Whalesong Co-Creators from Japan and Okinawa!!!

April 15, 2007 - Kent, our Chief Technician, unfortunately has bad news for us: 'I am at the Whalesong receiver site and it doesn't look good. I found multiple problems here, and even when I bypassed everything, it sounds like there is a problem in the buoy. I have replaced the receiver completely, there is a corrosion problem in the cable carrying the sound to the computer, and the antenna may have a problem. And the buoy sounds like it is broadcasting but I don't hear ocean sound. We are working hard to get it back to live sounds as soon as possible'

April 8, 2007 - Happy Easter to all our friends and listeners!

April 6, 2007 - People have been asking why Markus & Silke are not around on Maui to help during this whale season. 'Something' keeps them busy over there in Germany as you can see - but little Samuel is already dressing up for his first visit on Maui...

April 5, 2007 - The Whalesong Project team is humbled and honored to be invited (once again) to one of the most prestigious festivals on the Island. 'E Ola Ka Mana… ' or 'Life to the Spirit', is the theme for the 15th annual 'Celebration of the Arts' festival at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua this weekend. We will provide the unique opportunity to listen 'live' to our most anticipated return guests, the humpback whales.

March 29, 2007 - Kent Noonan, our Chief Engineer, had a wonderful snorkeling experience. He said: 'I was snorkeling off Ukumehame and the whales came right up to me.' See his amazing photos here...

March 28, 2007 - Dr. Marsha Green of the Ocean Mammal Institute talks about the sensitive subject of Navy Sonar use in Hawaiian waters. The Navy has declared itself exempt from the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

March 26, 2007 - Gary and Pam, Whalesong listeners from North Kihei reports: 'Late February into early March, 2007 was the most active period for inshore whale watching that we have seen. Not captured on camera were the four whales that went charging down the beach 75 yards from shore. Enjoy Gary' Click here to see their slide show accompanied with our whale songs.

March 21, 2007 - We've got a wonderful feedback of listeners from Boston and they allowed us to share it with you: 'Dear WhaleSong Project, My son Read (age 4) and I were talking about whales last night at bedtime, and I promised him (recklessly!) that we could find some whale songs on the internet in the morning. What I found was the Whale Song Project, and we've been playing live whale songs now for an hour and a half. Thank you! What a wonder! This project is so totally beautiful I can hardly put words to it.

Here I am at home in Boston, listening to whale songs from Maui, live. This is the internet put to its best use.

Thank you,
Steve, Whitney & Read'

March 16, 2007 - From Whalesong Project Executive Director Dan Sythe:Today Maui had a large rally. Concern was expressed by many about the implications of recent actions by the U.S. Navy concerning the use of powerful sonar technologies in the sensitive waters of our beautiful Hawaiian Islands. The Navy recently suspended its compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Environmental Protection Act. The Whalesong Project is a grass roots organization made up of volunteers who love the oceans and recognize their importance to the health and well being of all of us, and to our future generations. Naturally, many of our members showed up to voice concern at this rally, which was organized by Dr. Marsha Green of the Ocean Mammal Institute. Dr. Green is an astute scientist who has spent many years studying the effects of sound on marine mammals under a research permit issued by NOAA. The Navy says that these technologies are necessary for national security, and to protect our military personnel. We at The Whalesong Project are also concerned about our national security interests, and the well being of our citizens, and our young people in uniform. And we simultaneously recognize that without healthy oceans, the health and well being of all Americans, and all of the world's people, cannot be guaranteed. So we believe balance is necessary to protect the oceans while protecting security and other interests. In reporting on this rally, this exercise of democratic values that we all hold dear, we are not taking a position against the Navy, or anyone. We are reporting on events relative to the oceans and their health, and we invite the Navy to provide us with any information that is relevant to this discussion. We will be happy to publish the Navy side of this story, as we continue to report on all aspects of this important issue.

Click the photos to see more:

March 5, 2007 - Hokumoanalani, our whalesong buoy and underwater microphone is out in the ocean. We are planning to install a webcam to include a live image on our website. Any donations will be gratefully accepted, are tax deductible, and will help us!

March 12, 2007 - It's Democracy time on Maui. Dr. Marsha Green, a distinguished whale research scientist, is organizing a peaceful information sharing and sign waving rally to increase awareness of the harmful effects of 'noise pollution' on whales and other sea creatures. The event will be on Friday, March 16 at 4:00 to 6:00 PM on Ka'ahumanu Ave in front of the Queen Ka'ahumanu mall. Dr. Green will also be conducting a "Sea talk" at Maui Ocean Center, Ma'alaea, on Thursday,

March 22 at 6:00 PM. For further
information please contact April at garden123@webtv.net or call 573-0967.

March 11, 2007 - We 'owe' you some photos from the successful launching of Hokumoanalani back in January... please have a look here

March 10, 2007 - Kent reports: 'I swam out to the buoy today and adjusted the hydrophone. It was tangled around the anchor rope. Waves are big, buoy is really tossing around. At one point I saw it tip about 60 degrees and submerge part of the top deck.
I set the hydrophone about 10 feet deeper and it sounds a lot better, less surface noise and more deep water. The chain noise is because the chain is being dragged around by big waves. Not much we can do. Maybe add some kind of weight to the end of the chain. Some of the bumping noise is the buoy crashing into the hydrophone cable. But the whales sound much better and when the wind dies down it should be good. Our new friend and volunteer, Sean, swam out with me and helped. Thanks Sean. Nice to have a buddy out in deep water and big waves.'

March 9, 2007 - We were able to improve our sound quality significantly: Dan installed a qraphic equalizer for high frequency noise reduction and Kent put a remote control program in the server at Charlie Young beach. They are doing an amazing job on Maui and we all are deeply thankful for their dedication!

February 28, 2007 - Thanks to Freya M. Boughton we can provide some photos of Whale Day 2007 which took place at Kalama Park in Kihei on February, 17th

Whalequest took place on the same day and we were lucky to have a second team representing The Whalesong Project there:

Jaye and Sher greet visitors to Whalesong's display at Maui's annual Whalequest Conference at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kapalua. We brought live whale songs from our hydrophone to hundreds of attendees. And we got to learn a lot from Maui's whale research community. There were many high quality presentations. We highly recommend this conference to anyone interested in cetaceans and their behaviors in Hawaiian waters, and beyond.

February 22, 2007 - 10.40 am: We are broadcasting live again! 5.00 am: Due to a technical problem we are unable to provide live sound at the moment. Please enjoy recorded songs in the archive. Our team on Maui will take care of the problem as soon as possible.

February 15, 2007 - Kent - our Technical Director - is reporting about the challenges of delivering an excellent live sound: 'The new broadcast frequency is working well. The other noise we hear is being picked up by the hydrophone so we may not be able eliminate it. There are still some tricks to try for incremental improvements. Increasing the amplifier gain will be a little trickier than I thought, so it will probably wait a week or two.
Another factor influencing the sound is that this year the whales seem to be staying farther offshore. So most of the singing is farther away than much of what we heard in the past. This is confirmed by the fact that surface splashing is still quite loud in comparison to the singing. Putting the hydrophone deeper may help, but then it tangles with the anchor rope.' We have added some new recordings to our archive - enjoy!

February 14, 2007 - We are live again! There are still a couple things we will be trying to do to improve sound quality this week. Kent, our Technical Director will try to increase the audio gain in the buoy to improve signal to noise ratio. We will also try a different broadcast frequency to avoid interference.

Whalesong is LIVE on air!

February 12, 2007 - Congratulations to Whalesong Board Member George Kahumoku Jr. and his talented team for winning a Grammy Award for the second year in a row in the"Best Hawaiian Music Album" category. We are proud to have you on the Board, George, and proud of the good things you are doing for Hawai'i. George's roots are in the land. He is a farmer at heart who grows Taro and other traditional Hawaiian foods. He is also a school teacher at
Lahainaluna School in Lahaina on Maui. George will be playing at Whale Day
this Saturday, February 17, in Kihei, with many other great artists. Whale
Day is a Pacific Whale Foundation event. More details are available here. Thanks to Pacific Whale Foundation for creating this great even, which we
look forward to every year. The Whalesong Project will be bringing live
whale songs to our table in the nonprofit section of the event.Our buoy, Hokumoanalani, was damaged by high seas and storm conditions
recently. We attempted a repair mission yesterday, Sunday, but weather
conditions did not permit. We expect to repair the system early this week,
in time to bring live whale songs to Whale Day, and to Whalequest at the
Ritz Carlton Hotel. Whalequest features some of the world's most prominent
and articulate Whale Research Scientists, films and underwater footage, art,
and some fascinating presentations from people who observe these magnificent
creatures of the world's oceans. More info on Whalequest here.

February 11, 2007 - The team on Maui went out last Wednesday and looked at the buoy. The hydrophone has been torn off. We don't know if it was the storm or if a boat came too close and it snagged on a propeller. Either way, it cut the cable off right at the bottom of the buoy. We received two very nice hydrophones meanwhile and we just tried them that day for the first time. We are looking at ways to adapt one of these to replace on the buoy, and maybe go out soon to try a repair. Listen to an amazing stereo recording with the new hydrophone here.

February 1, 2007 - Kent, our Technical Director reports on the buoy status: 'We found significant storm damage at the receiver. The wind and rain has been howling here for 4 days. Cables, connectors, and power supply for the receiver all need repair. A quick patch revealed the buoy is still transmitting, but the hydrophone is disabled. We will need to go out in a boat to repair. The waves are still real big, recently 20 feet on the North Shore at Ho’okipa. We may be able to go Sunday or later. With the storm we’ve had lots of tree damage, power outrages, even a forest fire but that was mostly out when the wind came, luckily.' Please be patient and enjoy our recorded sounds.

January 31, 2007 - Dan and Kent will fix the problem with our receiver this afternoon and they expect us to broadcast live around 2 pm Hawaiian time.

January 29, 2007 - We are broadcasting recorded sounds right now! The receiver went down around noon today and we hope to be live again this Wednesday - please enjoy our recordings - we will keep you posted.

January 25, 2007 - Whales and other marine mammals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) - the 'Maui News' reports that the Defense Department just exempted the Navy from having to comply with the MMPA for the next two years. They could continue practicing their sonar systems which could harm marine mammals. Read the full story here. Low and mid frequency active sonar systems are able to detect quiet vessels and therefore it produces extremely loud sound waves (up to 235 db). Imagine standing in a distance of about 20 feet from a Saturn V rocket taking off... According to the Navy this noise can be heard in an area of 2,4 million square miles - that means a sonar testing can be heard within the entire North Pacific. The problem is that tests are being held in areas where whales are located. One of their training ranges is off Hawaii.

January 20, 2007 - The Whalesong Project will provide live whale songs at the very interesting HonuaOla event, held at Kamehameha school on Maui this weekend. Moreover Dan (founder of the project) and Kent (chief engineer) will participate in discussions about different issues.

January 19, 2007 - In a combined effort we went out this morning and repositioned the buoy to avoid interference. We got rid of the Radio Frequency Interference. Right now there is not much singing going on, but it is very quiet. You will be able to hear an occasional splash and a distant whale... enjoy...

January 13, 2007 - There is a lot of singing going on - so plug in and enjoy!

Whalesong is LIVE on air!

We're noticing some radio interference that we will need to clean up as soon as possible.

December 29, 2006 - The Rainbow Whale Project has been a success! Together with a group of Japanese visitors our team created a life size humpback whale sculpture in the sand. They've moved more than 5 tons of sand!

Kent Noonan, our chief engineer, reports: 'The outcome of the event is that these groups (PAF Global Univer-City NPO, Global Vision and the kids from Queen Liliokalani Children's Center) are now going to be communicating with each other, kids here will have email pals in Japan and Alaska, and a common effort is to help raise awareness of the issue of whales being hunted. The Japanese visitors were very clear that they do not consider whale meat a cultural heritage, or that they even like it. Most do not eat it and don't want to. The whaling industry is being pushed by government and industry for purely financial reasons. We hope that by Japanese children learning that this is being done, and that feeding it to them is being used as an excuse to pursue this profit, they can tell their parents what they think and perhaps institute some changes.' Please also see the log entry of December 17

December 25, 2006 - Happy Holiday Season!

We wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

December 17, 2006 - On December 21, starting around 10:30, our team on Maui will gather with two organizations at the south end of Kamaole I beach in Kihei. PAF Global Univer-City NPO and Global Vision are Non-Profit organizations in Japan with the goal of making our world a better place, advocating peace, improving business and education practices worldwide, and specifically to create amazing new educational opportunities for children. Kazuhiro Kojima is the leader of Global Vision and director of their school in Japan. Ken Kimura is the USA president of the PAF Global Univer-City NPO.This month Kazu and friends will be visiting Maui again and will be hosting the 'Rainbow Whale Project'. This is a gathering on the beach to share ideas and stories, to work together to make a life size humpback whale sculpture in the sand, and to express our great gratitude for our support and opportunities to learn and share with wonderful souls from all over the planet. This is timed to be on the beach at the time of Winter Solstice, 2:22 PM on the 21st. We hope to be joined also by Ron Bass and some of his kids from 'Hands Across The Waters', a group organized to help the whales and connect kids in Hawaii and Alaska, and they have been wanting to also connect with Japan too. Members of the Whalesong Project will be there and we hope to see Lei’ohu Ryder too. Kazu has also worked with children’s groups around the world, bringing hope and creative ideas to countless kids.

December 12, 2006 - We have lots of new photos online showing the repair and maintenance of Hokumoanalani, our buoy! Please have a look:

December 9, 2006 - 'Hokumoanalani', our buoy is nearly ready to launch. Kent did most of electronics and stuffed it back in the buoy enclosure. Mayumi from Japan did a wonderful job painting it:

November 26, 2006 - The UnderwaterTimes is reporting about a very interesting new study on whale communication. Researcher from the University of Queensland in Australia has revealed that humpback whales are capable of emanating as many as 622 social sounds. The study will also be presented at a meeting of the Acoustical Society of Japan in Hawaii. Read the full story here.

November 25, 2006 - Kent, our chief engineer reports: 'I have tested the hydrophone and radio system. It is all working. We are waiting for a new solar charge controller which is designed to minimize noise in the system. This will be another sound improvement for this upcoming season. It will be a little more difficult to fit into the electronics box but we are optimistic to broadcast live within the next few weeks. Please stay tuned...'

October 16, 2006 - Two large earthquakes with magnitudes 6.3 and 5.8 hit the Hawaiian Islands this morning. The epicenter was about 12 miles off Kailua on the Big Island - the Honokaa hospital was evacuated and several major highways had to be closed by rock slides. On Maui the power was knocked out for hours and the Kahului Airport was also shut down. At the Whalesong office only some books fell off the shelves... Luckily no severe damage and we are all eager to get the hydrophone out into the water as soon as possible.

October 12, 2006 - The first sighting of this upcoming whale season happened this Wednesday! The juvenile whale was spotted about two miles off Kaanapali. Humpback whales migrate from Alaska to the warm Hawaiian waters they use as their breeding grounds. Once an endangered species with only about 1.200 whales in the 1960s they recovered to more than 10.000 whales today! Due to several dangers this successful story is put on hold - commercial whaling, increasing noise pollution or global warming - to name just a few - are still endanger these wonderful creatures. So our job is far from ready and we are preparing for our seventh season bringing live whale songs to the world. Please stay with us and have a look how you can help.

September 19, 2006 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin published an article about two of Hawaii's least-known whales: Cuvier's and Blainville's beaked whales. Compared to the humpback whale it is very hard to spot one of these as they are much smaller (15 to 19 feet long). A new study by the Cascadia Research Collective showed that these whales are 'extreme' divers: they regularly dive to depths of about 2.600 feet as the humpback has typical dives of 350-650 feet! To find out more about beaked whales and why they have been most commonly associated with mass strandings linked to high-intensity sonar, please see the full story here.

August 4, 2006 - Thanks to the help of volunteers we were able to get the buoy out of the water. This time-consuming effort is necessary as we need to maintain the buoy for the new whale season. Moreover there is a lot of coral and seaweed which has to be removed. We plan to launch the buoy as soon as the whales are coming.