MENU

  • ABOUT US
  • ABOUT TOHORĀ
    • About Tohorā
    • History Timeline
  • MEET THE TOHORĀ
    • Meet the 2020 southern right whale – Tohorā
    • Track the 2020 southern right whale – Tohorā
    • Meet the 2021 southern right whale – Tohorā
    • Track the 2021 southern right whale – Tohorā
  • TOHORĀ REFUGE
  • NEWS
  • CONTACT US
SiteLogo
  • ABOUT US
  • ABOUT TOHORĀ
    • About Tohorā
    • History Timeline
  • MEET THE TOHORĀ
    • Meet the 2020 southern right whale – Tohorā
    • Track the 2020 southern right whale – Tohorā
    • Meet the 2021 southern right whale – Tohorā
    • Track the 2021 southern right whale – Tohorā
  • TOHORĀ REFUGE
  • NEWS
  • CONTACT US
2021 EXPEDITION | July 30, 2021

Return to Port Ross

Coming back to the Auckland Islands is a bit like coming home. This is my fourth winter season since 2008 and the harbour feels as familiar as my neighbourhood in Auckland. This feeling is helped by the whale welcome parties that visited the MV Strannik while we settled into Erebus Cove yesterday afternoon.

As it was far too windy to work on the water, we prepared our gear onboard the Strannik and were treated to groups of curious whales coming close to the vessel. The tohorā would often roll on their side to get a better look at us. Down here, boats are a novelty to the whales, and it seemed like the tohorā wanted to check out their new neighbours.

There are particular neighbours we’d like to see this winter: Bill/Wiremu and Tahi, two of the whales we tagged last season. Tahi was transmitting up until a few days ago, just out of Port Ross. Bill is further north, but we hope he’ll come by for a visit. We have put a small receiver on the bridge of the Strannik that will beep if any of the transmitting whales come close. If that happens, hopefully the weather allows us to put up a drone and check out our mates.

Other Posts

  • 2021 EXPEDITION

    Where will the 2021 Tohoroa Voyage to?

  • 2021 EXPEDITION

    Port Ross – Where whales babies are made

The Project
  • About Page
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
The Tohoră
  • About Tohorā
  • Past, Present, Future
  • 2020 Tohorā
  • 2021 Tohorā
  • Tohorā Refuge

This work was funded by the Te Apārangi Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, Live Ocean, Lou and Iris Fisher Charitable Trust, Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust, University of Auckland Science Faculty Research Development Fund, Brian Sheth/Sangreal Foundation, International Whaling Commission – Southern Ocean Research Partnership, New Zealand Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, and the Cawthron Institute. It was supported by the Australian Antarctic Division, British Antarctic Survey, Antarctic New Zealand, Strannik Ocean Voyages, Spindrift Images and the Bluff Yacht Club.

DONATE

© 2021 TOHORĀ VOYAGES | Website design + development by Made Studio | Artwork by Tukara matthews

  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • Privacy
  • Disclaimer