Feb. 15, 2009 — Armed with binoculars, sunscreen and snorkel gear, nearly two dozen whale enthusiasts set sail Sunday morning to look for humpbacks in the Caribbean Sea.
"I've traveled 36 hours to see whales," said St. Thomas resident Ruth Caplin. "It's great to have the opportunity to see them right here."
Though she's traveled to the Kingdom of Tonga to swim with humpbacks, she had a chance to see them just off the coast of St. Thomas during the whale watch conducted by the Environmental Association of St. Thomas-St. John (EAST).
North Atlantic humpback whales are known to migrate to lower latitudes and warmer temperatures to birth or mate, according to Paul Jobsis, chairman of the Department of Biology at the University of the Virgin Islands. Other whales that have been reported in Caribbean waters include pilot, which travel in pods of 50 to 75, sperm, minke, blue and fin, he said.
Jobsis joined EAST Activity Chairman Dalma Simon and the crew of Jolly Mon, a 63-foot catamaran, in EAST's biggest fundraising event of the year.
EAST was founded in 1989 as a private, non-profit, volunteer-based community organization whose three areas of environmental focus are advocacy, awareness and education. EAST is a chapter of the V.I. Conservation Society and an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.
All profits from the whale watch will go to EAST.
"Basically, all we've been using the money to do is lots of beach cleanings," Simon said.
This year EAST plans to clean up West Cay, and recently cleaned up thousands of tires on Emerald Beach, he said. But money raised also goes to support eco-camps for elementary school students and advocate environmental preservation in response to major developments such as the one at Mandahl Bay. (See "Mandahl Throng Gathers To Fight Development.")
Though no whales were spotted on Sunday's trip, passengers appeared content. They caught glimpses of other marine life such as sea turtles, dolphins and stingrays. The trip departed from the National Park Dock in Redhook, traveled northeast through the Windward Passage around Lovango and Congo Cays, and anchored for an hour-long snorkel at Christmas Cove off Great St. James Island.
Sunday's whale watch was the first of four planned during this peak migratory period. Tickets are still available for the Feb. 22, Mar. 8 and Mar. 22 trips. Jobsis will be on hand to teach about the whales and any other wildlife around.
Jobsis pointed out that there is also a new whale-sighting hotline set up through UVI that can be reached at 340-693-1233. The sightings will be compiled to track the migratory patterns of whales.
Tickets for upcoming whale watches can be purchased on St. Thomas from Dockside Book Store in Havensight and East End Secretarial Services in Red Hook. On St. John, tickets can be purchased from Connections of St. John. For details, call 774-1837 or 344-9075.
For more information on EAST, visit eastvi.org.
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