June 2016 – Dan Leppold

If you have gone to the beach in Southern New Jersey it is hard to miss the occasional big whale and dolphin watching vessels go by for their sunset cruise. For years I always thought the “whale” portion of the activity was an exaggeration. Are there really whales right off the Jersey Coast? I have discovered the answer is a resounding Yes, and now going out on the whale and dolphin watch cruises is one of my favorite summertime activities. The main type of whale spotted from one of the three boats that make up the Starlight Fleet (based out of Wildwood and Cape May) are humpback whales. Other sea creatures I have seen on cruises are dolphins, hammerhead sharks, bald eagles, sea turtles, and the ocean sunfish.
One boat in particular is my favorite, and that is the American Star with Captain Matt Remuzzi and Marine Biologist Melissa Laurino. The boat is part of the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center and they have interns that photograph and document the activity of the dolphins and whales observed on the tours. They are involved in real research and I think they want to find a whale as much as their passengers. Both Captain Matt and Melissa possess passion, a trait that I look for in people. They definitely do not dial it in and each and every time I have gone out with them I could tell that they were working to find a whale like it was the only trip of the season. I have had fun every time I have gone out with them and each time is different. Passionate people are rare and special, so I intend to take as many trips with them this summer as I can.

The American Star is moored at Utsch’s Marina (1121 Route 109, Cape May NJ 08204). You can see their daily successes on twitter (Cape May Whale Watch @CMWWandRC1987) and Facebook (Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center Inc.) and the internet at http://www.capemaywhalewatch.com. And no, I am not on the payroll, haha, just a very satisfied customer. Here are some pictures I have taken on the 1PM whale watch cruise on the American Star with Captain Matt and Melissa.

You do not have to go to New England or the Pacific Coast to see whales!

I love the excitement of the crew when they locate a humpback. They document the behavior and try to get that tail shot so they can identify the individual. Whale tails are like id badges.

If there are unique markings on the fins Melissa and the interns will help you identify the dolphins.

It is a neat feeling when the dolphins look at you, they are curious and I think like the boat.

The small and darker colored dolphin is a baby!

This was awesome to see, the boat does not feed the animals, this was just nature happening right in front of us!

The dolphins released these bubbles to confuse the fish they were attacking.

This dolphin carried around this big fish, too big to eat the crew felt it was to attract other dolphins, kinda bragging about how big a fish it can catch.

I sometimes shoot 1/2000th of a second to capture images like this.

It is interesting to see the pods of dolphins interact with the boat and each other.

Summer is geology field camp season, and young geologists are spending their days mapping and examining the various geologic features of our country. In the evenings, it’s time for cold beers and geology-talk around the camp fire. Geology and beer, like bees and honey or peanut butter and jelly, go hand in hand. A particular geologic study, volcanology, is most important to beer drinkers. Beer-loving non-geologists take note, and befriend a geologist, because volcanoes and beer are more related than you might think. American beer drinkers should care about one volcano in particular: the majestic Mt. Rainier.

Craft beer drinkers and enthusiasts are likely familiar with names like Willamette, Cascade, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Tahoma and Yakima Gold as they are types of hops used in a variety of craft beers as well as names of places in the Pacific Northwest. Indeed, the Pacific Northwest plays a significant role in world hop production. The USA accounts for 39% global hop production – a $249M industry, and according to the USA Hops 2013 Statistical report, 99.9% of US hop production and acreage is located in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Washington alone accounts for 76% of US hop production. The Pacific Northwest is second in the world in hop acreage (35,224), but first in the world in pounds produced, about 69M pounds, rivalling Germany.

But there is a potential hop shortage in the Pacific Northwest, due to the possibility for severe volcanic activity. We all know about Mt. St. Helens and its eruptive history, but most people do not realize the Pacific Northwest is loaded with active volcanoes and that Mt. Rainier is one of the most dangerous. It has very large summit glaciers which have the potential to produce profoundly destructive volcanic mudflows called lahars. Even a small eruption from this stratovolcano could melt the glacial ice to produce a lahar that could wipe out a large portion of US hop production. To make matters worse, the groundwater in the volcano is acidic which has weakened the entire western flank of the mountain, which could cause it to collapse. Moreover, as magma moves into the volcano, subsequent earthquakes may cause a massive landslide on the western flank.

Although there is no need to live in fear of imminent eruption, it might be a good idea to befriend a geologist, they should be able to give you a heads-up on Pacific Northwest volcanic activity and you can prepare for the subsequent great hop shortage.

On top of Mt. St. Helens with stratovolcano Rainier in the background.

Sources:

USA Hops 2013 Statistical Report. Hop Growers of America. Released January, 2014. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/234/71500/2013_Stat_Pack.pdf

Geyer, Allison. Increased Demand has area farmers growing hops. Lacrosse Tribune. July 30, 2013.

Tier, Nick. Homebrew and history expert, 2016.

Month: June 2016

Whale Watching is Alive and Well in Southern New Jersey

Volcanoes and Beer, More Related Than You Might Think!