On Sunday, we went to Santa Barbara Island on the maiden voyage of Redondo Beach Whale Watch's new vessel, the Vamonos. Wonderful weather, good company, and epic sightings made for a memorable day.

This is an adventure that stands out among trips of a lifetime. Join the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium team to spend 9 days with whales, dolphins, seals, and birds in Mexican lagoons, on islands, and on beaches. There are still spaces open,
cma.recreation.parks.lacity.gov/programs/baj...

I love birding.

I love it even more when there is a scientific purpose to it. The advent of eBird was a game-changer, and so is the California Breeding Bird Atlas, to which I will be contributing data for the next 5 years.

See the full report: lnkd.in/gNiTyNqK

This creature looms large over all our activities here in northern Australia. We don't swim, snorkel, kayak, or even linger near the water.

#croc #saltie #crocodile #saltwatercrocodile #australia #gugaririp #wesselislands #northernterritory

This half goofy looking, half ethereal, bird is the White Tern.

#bird #seabird #tern #whitetern #gigisalba #pitcairn #pitcairnislands #pacificocean #southpacificocean #southpacific #polynesia #adamstown #silversea #silvercloud

I have long been intrigued by Rapa Nui. Not so much by the moais (how does a civilization end up with so much idle time on its hands?), but by the whole controversy about how Polynesia was populated, embodied by Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki adventure. #easterisland #island #moai #rapanui #ahu #ahutongariki #dog #polynesia #pacificocean #silvercloud #silversea #expedition

I have long been intrigued by Rapa Nui.

#easterisland #island #moai #rapanui #ahu #ahutongariki #dog #polynesia #pacificocean #silvercloud #silversea #expedition

Flying Squid take to the air, probably to escape predators, by squirting water through their siphon and then spreading their fins and tentacles.

#squid #flyingsquid #flying #ocean #pacific #pacificocean #southpacific #southpacificocean #silversea #silvercloud #expedition

A Peruvian Booby plunges after prey in Puerto Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile. A great way to kick off an odyssey across the South Pacific. I will disembark in Darwin, Australia, in early July.

#booby #peruvianbooby #bird #seabird #valparaiso #chile #silversea #silvercloud #pacificocean #pacific

Major Bucket List item: we managed to go ashore at Point Wild on Elephant Island.

#shackleton #pointwild #elephantisland #southshetlandislands #antarctica #luispardo #chileannavy #monument #bust #pilotopardo #hero #yelcho #silversea ##silverwind ##expediton

No, this is not an angry union organizer, it is a subadult male Southern Elephant Seal stretching and yawning.

#pinniped #seal #elephantseal #southernelephantseal #antarctica #southgeorgia #southgeorgiaisland #saintandrewsbay #silversea #silverwind #expedition

Antarctic Fur Seals fill my heart with joy.

#pinniped #seal #furseal #antarcticfurseal pup #antarctica #southgeorgia #southgeorgiaisland #grytviken #leucism #leucistic #silversea #silverwind #expedition

Elephant seals can look remarkably human-like, especially when they are scratching themselves.

#seal #elephantseal #southernelephantseal #elephantpoint #southshetlandislands #southshetlands #southshetlandislandsantarctica #antarctica #pinniped #silversea #silverwind #expedition

Hatching Black-browed Albatross on New Island in theFalklands.

#albatross #chick #hatch #hatching #blackbrowedalbatross #nest #conservation #seabird #birds #falklands #falklandislands #falklandsconservation #newisland #silversea ##silverwind #expedition

I love flying over the Andes. I am boarding the Silver Wind tomorrow for 6 voyages to Antarctica with that include the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. I can't wait. #andes #chile #silversea ##silverwind #expedition #antarctica

I love flying over the Andes. I am boarding the Silver Wind tomorrow for 6 voyages to Antarctica with that include the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. I can't wait.

#andes #chile #silversea ##silverwind #expedition #antarctica

The indomitable Barb Taylor gave one of three plenary presentations on the last day of the Society for Marine Mammalogy's 25th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. She was as deeply inspiring and full of knowledge as always. Among much else, she encouraged collaboration and data sharing, and Inclusion of traditional knowledge, something that has been one of the themes of this meeting. She also shared the news that we humans will have a second chance to get things right, at least when it comes to the world's most endangered Cetacean, the Vaquita in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Models in 2018 predicted that the species would be extinct by now, but miraculously some ten individuals are hanging on. It will take a lot of dedication, determination, and hard work to bring about a recovery, we all have to do our part. Looking forward to SMM2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. perthsmm2024 #perth #australia #westernaustralia #smm #biennial #conference #marinemammals #vaquita #conservation #barbtaylor #extinctionisforever #extinction #plenary