MICS-Blue Whale study trip-September 14th 2018

The last day of the trip, the team took a well-deserved rest. They had some Admin things to take care of and since they were in a nice hotel, they might as well enjoy it.

They did include me though and I got a valuable one on one training session with Richard Sears on how to match and identify Blue Whales using the unique speckle patterns on each individual. He demonstrated how he would classify the uncatalogued photos using their MICS pix software.

Each unique individual has a file with photos taken from different angles and at different dates and locations. I listened to Mr. Sears grumble and mumble under his breath as he repeated "I know this whale" as he scanned the files trying to determine where to plug the photograph sent to him by a colleague.

There are different ways to search using terminology that was still quite foreign to me but I observed quietly until there was a contented "Eureka!" moment and the correct file was found and the new photograph was input and memorialized.

I even got to help name a Blue Whale that had a marking that looked like a leafy sea dragon so the whale formerly known as B332 has been christened Dragonleaf.

I let the team continue with their work while I composed these blog entries and surfed the web learning more and more about the plight of the whales in my region. It's both a good time and a bad time. Many calves were ID'd in 2018, many more than in previous years but they are in no way abundant.

I packed my unused snorkel equipment and readied my suitcase for the train trip home.

The Via Rail line from Halifax to Montreal passes right through Rimouski at the slightly inconvenient hour of 2:04 am. The station was only a kilometre or so from the hotel but I opted for a 10 dollar taxi ride because of my heavy duffel bag. Thankfully, it was a warm and pleasant night as I waited patiently for the automatic lock on the station door to open 30 minutes before the train pulled in.

A baggage handler and a ticket taker descended to greet me and the other single passenger. My bag was tagged and taken away and I boarded the quiet and dark car and found a comfortable single seat. The QR code on my phone was scanned and soon the rhythmic movement of the train rocked me to sleep.

It was an easy and unremarkable 8 hour trip ending with a fantastic view of my home-town as we crossed the bridge onto Montreal Island and entered the tunnel into the Central Station right downtown.