Jim Nolan
-----Original Message-----
From: Lars S. Mulford <mulford@bellatlantic.net>
To: leander@worldnet.att.net <leander@worldnet.att.net>; ecpa@onelist.com
<ecpa@onelist.com>; wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 3:48 PM
Subject: Re: Boats, wildlife & binoculars
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>leander@worldnet.att.net wrote:
>
>> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>> West Wight Potter Website at URL
>> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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>> I know we all want to see whales, dophins, seals and so forth, but please
don't chase the wildlife. "Getting lots of practice tacking to get closer to
the whale" means that you were too close and were disturbing it; that
actually lowered your chances of seeing it. Sometimes when just cruising,
they'll follow you.
>> However, in most cases I find the best way to observe wildlife is to
keep your distance and use binoculars. If you're close enough to alter their
behavior, you are too close. Of course, it would be even better if the
binoculars were the Cannon Image-Stabilizers...
>
>Leander, East Coasties, Web Gang:
>
>I agree with much of what Leander says here. We've had lots of practice
observing marine mammal life here, and there have been days where they
initiated the contact and came about. Other times, we have viewed them from
a respectful distance. Always though, we make our way under sail power,
where it is far less
>intrusive. We were observing 3 Humpback Whales a couple of years ago and
the Cape May-Lewes Ferry passed fairly close to us and the whales. They
weren't bothered by the ferry. However, when a Bayliner full of folks
roared up past us and came within 50 yards of the whales, the big male
slapped one of his flippers
>on the surface, making a deafening crack. With that, they all disappeared.
What did we gather from this? Well, the whales have been coming here for as
long as I can remember, so they knew that the ferry wasn't going to deviate
from it's course. The Bayliner though... well, I think it came in way too
close, too
>fast, and too noisy, spoiling it for the rest of us who were casually
observing quietly from a distance.
>
>The Pilot Whales here are similar in behavior but are more difficult to
observe. We've seen them logging on the surface but always kept a distance
from them, as they were obviously resting.
>
>Harbor Porpoise, Bottlenose Dolphins and other marine mammal life in
similar vein are as likely to approach you as you would them. You
definitely get the feeling that the "observations" are mutual!
>
>As far as binoculars are concerned, we use our trusty old Tasco yellow
rubberized 7x50s and have never really had difficulty observing any marine
mammal life. The Canons sound intriguing, but we are completely satisfied
with our Tasco units. I can't imagine spending that kind of money for a
pair of binoculars that
>weren't night vision! (g)
>
>--
>"Sea" ya!
>
>--Lars S. Mulford, President
> East Coast Potter Association (ECPA)
> Come visit us at http://members.tripod.com/~SpeedSailor
> "Forgive, and live. Life is worth the challenge of living." --LSSM
> "Love is good; Love hurts; Love sustains; Love remains." --LSSM
>