10 Jun 2012

Grey Whales and Oil

A small remnant population of Western Grey Whales was discovered in Pit'turn Bay, Sakhalin Island in the 1980's, so it was inevitable that there would be conflict between conservationists and the oil industry. Oil and gas production has proceeded despite the concern, not only from whale researchers but from fisherman and the indigenous people who feel marginalised by the multinational companies. Giant oil rigs and support ships were the stark evidence of the oil industry we saw yesterday.

Today we launched our Zodiacs to make a landing in Pil’tun Bay and also went in search of the Grey Whales which spend the summer here and are believed to winter in the Korea/China region, although one female tagged at Pil’tun Bay last year went all the way to California raising questions about this population.

Late this evening we enjoyed some great encounters with a couple of Grey Whales whilst returning from the shore excursion. We are now enroute to Iony Island – a small speck of land in the middle of the Sea of Okhotsk.