The Coming Collision Between Whales and Tankers on British Columbia’s Coast
October 25, 2024 at 04:28AMHermann Meuter has spent decades documenting the return of fin whales to the coast of British Columbia, after their desimation by whale hunters. But Meuter and his team are now worried they may see the demise of these whales once again—this time from fatal ship strikes.
Dressed in his usual boating attire of a bright-red survival suit and tall rain boots, Meuter doesn’t have to wait long before a puff rises from the water, as though the ocean has spritzed perfume into the air. A few hundred meters away, three black backs slice the surface, and Meuter quietly shifts the boat into gear. He motors up to the pod—his research permit allows him within 50 meters—and cuts the engine. For a few exhilarating moments, time slows as the whales and boat glide next to one another. Two adults and a calf surface two, three, four times, and on the fourth exhale they crest just a little higher, their sleek backs catching the morning sun before disappearing below.
from Longreads https://longreads.com/2024/10/24/the-coming-collision-between-whales-and-tankers-on-british-columbias-coast/
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