Tasks on board the Physeter

I’m leading a conservation holiday – a vacation in which volunteers pay to be a part of a research team. If you’re following my blog, then you know we’re collecting data on whales, dolphins and loggerhead turtles. I thought I’d give you a glimpse of the tasks that we all do–I assign a rota at the beginning of the Expedition, and we all rotate through the various tasks throughout the week.

Welcome aboard!

Lookout
Lookouts-port

 

Lookouts - starboard
Lookouts - starboard (The Azores are a world-class whale watching destination, and yes, sometimes we do have other boats at our sightings) There is a system of fagias, or lookouts, on Failal and Pico, paid by the whale watching companies, and we all communicate with one another and share information)

 

POPA data collection
POPA People (2) (Programa de Observação para as Pescas dos Açores) - we are the only non-fishing boat capturing this information for the University / POPA program I sit on the top deck with the POPA people, assist with the paperwork, and generally make myself available for help

 

 

Photographer
Photographer

 

Data Sheet Person
Data Sheet Person (follows Lisa the scientist around and records every sighting)

 

Hydrophone Listener
Hydrophone Listener

 

Hydrophone Listener (reeling in 100 m of tubing from behind the boat)
Hydrophone Listener (reeling in 100 m of tubing from behind the boat)

 

Log Keeper
Log Keeper

 

Biosphere Expeditions volunteer conservation Expedition: Data Entry back at Base (log keeper, data sheet person, hydrophone listener)
Data Entry back at Base (log keeper, data sheet person, hydrophone listener)

 

Datasheet again
Datasheet again

 

Our Skipper, Nuno
Our Skipper, Nuno

 

Scientist Lisa Steiner (the most important job of all!) + Loggerhead Turtle
Biosphere Expeditions Azores Expedition 2012 Scientist Lisa Steiner (the most important job of all!)

 

Common dolphin bow riding
The cetaceans also have a job: (Common dolphin bow riding)

 

 

 

 

 

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