The Whalesong Project Captain's Log

New listening links

2011-03-11T03:31:00.000-10:00

Whales are Arriving in Maui Waters

2010-10-23T07:01:00.004-10:00

There is a sense of excitement every year on Maui when the first Koholā (our Hawaiian "Humpback" whales) arrive. I prefer the Hawaiian name, rather than the name used by whalers who decimated their population. Whales have now been reported off of Hoʻokipa and Lahaina.

The timing for first sitings seems typical for recent seasons.

Incidentally, the Hawaiian Kolea bird (pictured above) follows a similar migration path to our Koholā - North to Alaska and Siberia in the Summer, back to Maui for the Winter. The Kolea who returns to my yard every year showed up a little later than usual this season, on October 10.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Whalesong Board Member David Rothenberg honored

2010-09-26T09:53:00.002-10:00

Iʻm very proud to announce that our very own David has received the "Excellence in Research Prize and Medal" from New Jersey Institute of Technology.

It is awarded by the NJIT Board of Overseers in recognition of a "researcherʻs sustained record of achievement that has enhanced the reputation of NJIT."

In the announcement on their website http://www.njit.edu/email/advancement/2010/2010-10-06-excellence-in-research.php they say David "personifies the integration of research, instruction, economic development and public service that are this Universityʻs core mission elements."

David is a musician, writer, and philosopher who believes music can help us communicate with birds, whales, and all kinds of creatures. He wrote THOUSAND MILE SONG: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound, which documents his attempts to play his clarinet live with whales, including a section on the Whalesong Project. The book is currently being developed into two films. Otherwise, Rothenberg is a Professor of Philosophy and Music at NJIT. He urges us to listen to live whale songs online and become less human centered.

www.davidrothenberg.net

Our Founding Board Member Nona Beamer was very impressed with Davidʻs work, and took the time to write him a personal letter thanking him for his contribution before she left this realm. Hereʻs another thank you from the rest of us!

E hoʻopomaikaʻi iā ʻoe! (Congratulations, David)!

Meet the Whalesong Project Board of Directors - Kent Noonan

2010-08-26T22:43:00.004-10:00

This is Kent Noonan, the Vice President of our Board of Directors. Kent originally joined the project for what he calls "totally selfish reasons." He wanted to hear the whale songs every day and couldnʻt find time to go out in the ocean.

After a couple of years experimenting with home made hydrophones and kayak excursions, he discovered our fledgling project, which was just completing the first season webcasting from a sailboat in Maʻalaea Bay. From the webcast he could hear the whales without having to leave work.

He happened to have some esoteric electronic parts in his lab that were needed for the project, and werenʻt available anywhere else out here in the middle of the Pacific. Dan and Kent met, and an enduring friendship and partnership was born. Kent began to "appreciate what an amazing contribution to the world our project was." He has put in countless hours building and servicing the various generations of buoys so that people all over the planet can connect with the whales and their mysterious songs.

Kent brings wide experience with high tech electronics to our project, and a very big heart. His day job includes lasers, optics, radiation detectors, magnetics, subtle energy research, biomedical applications and more. Ken tries to spend much of his time and energy making the world a better place.

Kent is a big part of The Whalesong Project, and we are all very grateful to have him on board.

Acknowledging the Loss of a Key Whalesong Founder

2010-08-21T00:35:00.005-10:00

Itʻs my painful duty to announce the passing of our Founding Board President Ed Bigelow last week. He will be sorely missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.

Ed and and I designed elements of our first Whalesong Project buoy on a napkin at Borders Coffee Shop in Kahului back in 2000. He was a guiding light for our fledgling organization as we became a "legitimate" 501C3 corporation. He was a gracious, intelligent, inspiring and good humored facilitator of our Board Meetings for the eight or so years we have been incorporated, until he resigned last year due to health concerns.

Ed had a big heart and an incredibly intelligent mind. His interests and professional credentials were diverse, including science, economics, solar and alternate energy design and production, photography, art and music.

I met Ed through our mutual love of Hawaiian music, through our Kumu (teacher) and friend George Kahumoku, also a Whalesong Project Founding Board Member.

Ed was introduced to Hawaiʻi by his incredible wife Helen. Their mutual love of Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian Culture has had them contributing in many ways to keeping the culture alive in the world, and in bettering the community around them.

Ed was also one of my best friends and the best kind of friend a person could have. And he was my next door neighbor for the past five years. Those who have attended events at my home can testify that Ed was not only an engaging and delightful presence, and a great guitar and ukulele player, but that he also made one of the best Lilikoʻi cheesecakes on the planet, from passion fruit that he and Helen grow.

What are we going to do Ed? You are irreplaceable. You will live on in our hearts.

The picture below is Ed, George Kahumoku, me jamming at my home, Whalesong buoy in the background.

Project Update

2010-07-22T08:14:00.002-10:00

The Whalesong Project is in a holding pattern right now. We hope our last ten years of webcasting the live songs of the Humpback Whales has raised awareness about this endangered species, and our endangered oceans....and about the fact that the oceans are a highly acoustic environment. This is important to know in an age that is filled with noise that can affect life. Whether it is noise generated by boats, underwater oil exploration, acoustic well logging with explosive devices, or sonar for navigation and military purposes.

We feel good about our ten year contribution, and we are assessing whether to put the hydrophone in the ocean this coming season. It is an expensive venture during a time of economic challenges.

We have applied for a grant that could fund this coming season as an educational project with children. We hope this comes through.

If it doesnʻt come through, we will continue to do what we can with the income we can generate. We are an all volunteer organization whose annual income from donations ranges from $500 to $10,000. This year we have raised about $6,000, which was spent already on last seasonʻs operations. We really need about $15,000 per year to operate. With this amount of income we can upgrade, maintain and operate the live webcast with our buoy in the ocean, pay all the associated costs, feed our volunteers from time to time, present at up to 8 events that we are invited to.

If we are not able to raise the money we need, we will continue to do our best and will play recorded whale songs for this season. We hope to put the buoy back in the ocean for the 2011-2012 season.

It is always a lot of work to bring the live songs to the world, which leaves me short on time to thank each of you who have contributed to the project. Thanks to each of you who have supported our work by sending money. Each contribution, no matter how small, has made a difference. Thank you!!!

Aloha, Kaʻili Dan

More on Sperm Whales in the Gulf

2010-06-18T08:57:00.002-10:00

Evidently the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission warned of risks associated with oil exploration in the Gulf in the early 1990ʻs. According to this article, these warnings were ignored by federal regulators and BP. The author, Heather Heenehan, is a masterʻs degree student in environmental management at Duke University, and is working on a summer fellowship at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Thank you for this excellent article, Heather.

Messing with Mother Nature

2010-06-18T08:14:00.002-10:00

CNN quotes one of the workers on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig....."This well did not want to be drilled.....it just seemed like we were messing with Mother Nature." Read the full article.

How to produce energy and live in harmony with Nature is a challenge, but donʻt we love challenges? If we look at the long term costs, and the costs of unintended consequences, of our energy choices, I think we will find that there are better choices we can be making. We are inventive people. If we make decisions based on facts about what is really serving the people and the planet, I believe we will make better decisions. Can this happen in Washington D.C.? Miracles can happen.

In the meanwhile the oil gushes and we continue to drive our cars. Iʻm thinking about what I can do to make a difference this year in my lifestyle and energy choices, and my contribution. We have officially begun our Haleakalā Institute project. More information and a website will be coming out soon. We have applied for a grant. The project will be educational in nature and will be Maui-based. If we get the grant we will be working with a lot of children on environmental remediation and sustainable energy projects. Use of media in communications will be involved, and all of it will be based on the Hawaiian way of learning, "Ma ka hana ka ʻike" - to learn by doing. More soon.

Gulf oil spill and Whales

2010-06-17T22:22:00.002-10:00

There has been a lot of speculation about the impact of the the oil spill on whales and dolphins. This story says NOAA is investigating the death of a Sperm Whale near the accident. In Hawaiian, the Sperm Whale is called Palaoa. The Palaoa are considered a form of Kanaloa, the God of the Ocean. They were hunted to near extinction, and are still an endangered species. Lets hope the problems in the gulf are solved soon, and that some wisdom is developed that will help turn the tide in favor of healthy oceans.

World Oceans Day - Ocean of Life

2010-06-08T12:23:00.004-10:00

The theme of Ocean Day this year is "Ocean of Life." Never has the importance of protecting the oceans seemed more important than this very day. Oil streams into the Gulf of Mexico, toxic plastic gyres are growing, ice caps are melting, the ban on commercial whaling may be lifted with support from Washington D.C.

Hereʻs hoping we will wake up and focus more diligently, as a world community, on the importance of the oceans to All Life on this planet. If you want to do something positive today for the oceans, please consider a donation to The Whalesong Project - so we can continue our work, with our all-volunteer team. Your money goes a long way with us, and we are operating on a very thin shoe string these days. Thanks to each of you out there who have contributed with your time, energy, money! With support we expand our activities, without support we have to pull back, and we donʻt want to do that in this challenging time.

Whalesong Project Board Member George Kahumoku honored

2010-06-06T07:21:00.006-10:00

I am pleased to report that Whalesong Project Founding Board Member George Kahumoku was honored with the "Aloha Is" Award for community service at the annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards ceremony in Honolulu. He was recognized "for his support of individuals and entities ranging from dropout students and Maui Community Correctional Center inmates cultivating taro in Waiehu to work with Maui Nui Botanical Gardens and the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge." Read the full article.

Those of us who know George know that he never stops. He is an enduring presence in the world, not just on Maui. He has nurtured young Hawaiian students to become Grammy Awards winners, worked with "at risk" youth for decades, volunteered for countless fund raisers. Sometimes you could fill a page with his activities in just one day. Congratulations George! You deserve it.

At the same ceremony Mauiʻs Hula Honeys won the best Hawaiian Jazz Album of the Year. Jonathan Drechsler, the bass player, volunteers for Whalesong Project! Congratulations Jonathan - and Ginger and Robin.

The Mystery of Pu'u Koholā

2010-06-03T20:08:00.004-10:00

As we approach the 200th anniversary of the unification of the Hawaiian Islands, much attention is focused on Pu'u Koholā. It was here that Kamehameha built this large heiau before his unification quest. Some call it the "hill of the whale" and some say it resembles a whale. Some have suggested that perhaps the Koholā, the Hawaiian Humpback Whale, was an ʻaumakua of King Kamehameha. Others give a different explanation for the name. Koholā can also mean "chosen day," and there was a belief that the prophesies around Kamehameha and the unification of the islands required consecration of this heiau on a particular day. Hawaiian language and mythology is is filled with kaona, hidden meaning, metaphor. It is possible the name means both. Another puzzling fact: One of Kamehamehaʻs names is Paiʻea. Those of you who watched the movie Whale Rider may recall that the Maori prophet who rode the whale was Paikea, which is how one would say Paiʻea in Maori. Paikea was said to have come from Hawaiki, Hawaiʻi. We may never know the full mystery of this possible connection between Kamehameha The Great and the whales.

How to lessen sonar impact on whales

2010-06-03T08:23:00.002-10:00

This article in the Honolulu Weekly includes a conversation with Robin Baird, who has done whale research in Hawaiian waters for eleven years. Robin helps explain the "lay of the land" in Hawaiian waters relevant to cetaceans and sonar, and outlines some steps the Navy could take to reduce impacts in their use of sonar. Robin also explains why we may not see whales who die or are injured by sonar use, making data collection on injuries more complicated than it already is.

My personal opinion is that there has not been much emphasis on data collection. My observation is that most whales who strand themselves in Hawai'i are not evaluated for acoustic trauma. Without data, without the scientific method applied, we are in the dark.

I am doing necessary post-whale season travel. I'm happy to report we were able to produce another season of bringing the live whale songs to the world, and to participate at a number of events, and to move our sustainability project, Haleakala Institute, forward. I'm sorry to report that we have depleted our financial resources. Our all-volunteer team greatly appreciates the heartfelt financial contributions that help keep our website, webcast, essential services alive. Thank you!

Whalesong Project Season 10 Complete

2010-05-16T17:31:00.004-10:00

Aloha Everyone! Whalesong Project Season 10 of webcasting the live songs of Mauiʻs Koholā has come to an end. The whales are mostly gone now, and itʻs been about a week since I have heard any singing. The buoy lost its mooring this morning. Fortunately our diligent lifeguards at Kamaole I Beach called us and brought her safely to shore. They have been keeping a close eye on her for the last 9 seasons, since we moved to Kamaole I after completing our first season at Maʻalaea Bay. Here they are shown loading the buoy into our truck.
They not only brought her to shore, but also made getting her on the road easier with their special equipment.
Here Wendy Acosta, a Whalesong Project volunteer, assesses the situation with the life guards.

It was John, shown in this picture, who called us and managed the situation. Thank you John, and the rest of your crew. We are deeply grateful.

Now we begin cleaning and painting and various upgrades as we prepare for Season 11. Mahalo to those of you who have sent monetary donations. They allowed us to keep the project going to the end of the season. Any donations towards renovating her so we can get her in early next year are appreciated.

2010-05-08T00:55:00.002-10:00

Please join Whalesong Project, and our Haleakalā Institute initiative at Earth Day Celebration this Sunday at Studio Maui in Haʻikū. Our buoy is still operational and we are hearing occasional whale songs. A large pod of very active whales were observed off of Kihei at sunset this evening.

Many thanks to those of you who have sent in donations recently. Although times are challenging, we have managed to keep the project going with your help.

Wishing all the Motherʻs out there a Happy Motherʻs Day, and a Happy Earth Day to All!!!

Challenging Times

2010-03-27T22:12:00.006-10:00

I thought I would share this beautiful sunset shot, taken with my iphone off of Olowalu last weekend. There are still a lot of whales here, but their numbers will drop dramatically over the next few weeks as they head north to Alaskan waters. They are becoming increasingly interested in people this year. We are hearing many reports of whales seeking human contact, wanting to interact.

On to the challenging news. An AP news story this week says numerous scientific studies predict that coral reefs are heading for extinction worldwide. The scientific community is also acknowledging what the ancient Hawaiians knew for centuries - without healthy reefs you cannot have healthy fish and healthy people. They are a foundation for life in the ocean world. The Hawaiians had a system called the ʻahupuaʻa. Land divisions were pie shaped, and extended from the top of the mountain to the sea. They knew that everything from the top of the mountain to the deep ocean was connected and that healthy reefs were dependent on healthy land practices. If the world could get this concept, maybe the coral would have a chance.

This Curvier Beaked Whale washed up and died in Hana Maui on Monday. We still donʻt know if there is a relationship between these rare whale deaths and sonar use by the military in Hawaiian waters, and Iʻm not hopeful at this point that we will ever know. We finally had one whale tested for acoustic trauma last year, but now there is no mention of it being part of the necropsy process. Ten years of talking with NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Senator Inouye, other politicians, the National Marine Sanctuary, have only brought me frustration. This beautiful creature was hauled away by a team of excited scientists who want to learn about it, but probably will never tell us if acoustic trauma was a factor in its death.

In memory of this whale, I post a video of David Rothenberg performing Pete Seegerʻs "The Worlds Last Whale" at our benefit concert on Maui, March 19. The rythmic tones accompanying David are the "vocalizations" of Fin Whales, remixed to work with the song. Thank you, David, Keaolani, Mark Takaha, and all of the volunteers who contributed to this fundraiser, and to Paulo Mendes for creating the video.

A different kind of reception was given to a whale who died off of Vietnam recently, where fisherman revere the whales and consider them sacred. Whales in Vietnam are referred to as "Ngai," the same term used to honor Kings, Emperors, and other esteemed leaders, according to an AP news story. Read more.

This kind of respect is traditionally extended to whales by the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures. They are widely believed to be embodiments of the God of the Ocean, Kanaloa (Tanaroa in Maori Culture).

We at Whalesong Project keep saying we seek to inspire people to appreciate and respect the ocean and the life it contains. As we watch the ice caps melt we wonder if we are making any progress. We have new ideas we want to try, but we are challenged in our ability to carry on this task at this time. We have successfully carried on this project for ten seasons now, but we have been unable to make it sustainable financially. We that volunteer our time are getting worn out raising money to keep it all working as we simultaneously maintain the system, which takes about $15,000 per year to operate. Every penny donated has been gratefully and humbly accepted and put to use to keep the project going. But the money coming in falls far short of what we need to keep it going. We may be forced to shut down the project until we find a way to pay for it. I am very sad to report this. It is the last thing I want to do, but I may not have any choice. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. With aloha, Dan

Peak Season Report

2010-03-14T00:01:00.002-10:00

Aloha everyone! Thanks to all of you who have contributed to this seasonʻs success. It feels a little overwhelming every year to bring all of this equipment and software online, and participate in the events that this season brings. But we now have our buoy secure at her original mooring. It took a few trips out there to manage the trasition, find the anchor, etc. The whales are singing some very interesting songs this year. David Rothenberg is here and preparing for the benefit concert this Friday. David always brings interesting stories, people, technology. We enjoy his presence here. We were mentioned in the Maui News this week. We are preparing for participating in Celebration of the Arts at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua April 2, 3, 4. Again, thank all of you who have helped fix or maintain the buoy, sent money, played music or danced at one of our fund raising events. More soon!

Whalesong Project Benefit Concert March 19 2010

2010-03-08T01:02:00.003-10:00

Please join us on March 19, 7 PM, Makawao Union Church. David Rothenberg returns to share his music, stories, and to play live with whale songs from our buoy, and more. More information to follow. Thanks to all of you who have volunteered for the project, played music, provided a boat, paddled out on a surfboard during the tsunami, set the anchor, played music, sent money to keep our project alive.

Shifting Tides - Whalesong Project needs Help

2010-03-03T10:13:00.004-10:00

The buoy is moored temporarily in a new location. In the period between the tsunami and sunset we could not get her back to her permanent anchor. She drifts north in the morning and we get some noise as she leaves the area where our dish antenna can pick up her signal. Willy's boat trailer is broken, and we have not been able to secure another boat. We were hoping this season to have our own service boat and a webcam pointed at her, but the economic tides have created challenges for the Whalesong Project.

Our all-volunteer team is operating in the red right now. At the beginning, the project was funded entirely by me. We became a non-profit corporation and over a period of several years were able to raise the $15,000 per year we need to operate through donations. Last year donations plummeted and my personal credit cards became maxed out to keep the project alive.

We raised $1,500 recently through the kokua of numerous volunteers and musicians at our fund raising concert. With additional donations from Whalesong Germany, we got the buoy in the water.We have another benefit concert scheduled for March 19 (stay tuned).

We have survived the tsunami and kept our project alive in an economic tide that left many of the world's largest and most powerful corporations in bankruptcy. But we are straining our volunteers resources to do it. We know that there are thousands of you out there who love the project and many express support with annual donations. Most of our donations are in the $10 to $30 range, and they are heartfelt and deeply appreciated. I have a hard time asking for more, but I just wanted to put it out that we need support to keep the project alive.

I read in the news that various countries are competing for rights to the oil reserves under the Arctic ice...looking forward to when the ice caps are gone and the resources can be "exploited." It's this kind of thinking that we are working to overcome. Please help us.

The picture above was taken right after the tsunami, when we recovered Hokumoanalani as she drifted. Paulo Mendes, on the left, caught a ride back to shore in Cove Park after the rescue. He picked up his board and looked back to see the cove was empty. The tsunami was still reverberating through our archipelago.

Hope you are all well. Thank you for listening.

A Tsunami Adventure

2010-02-27T19:52:00.002-10:00

We had a big adventure today with our buoy, Holumoanalani.

We planned a service call this morning, but woke up to sirens and phone calls about the approaching tsunami. We watched the tsunami hit Hawai'i on television, and when I took a break to check email I saw a message from a woman named Jackie in Kihei who said the buoy was drifting north. Paulo Mendes and I rushed over there hoping to retrieve her before she was damaged or lost. The emergency had just been lifted, but there was no one and no boats in the water in South Maui. The beaches and parks were closed. Strong currents and unusual shifts in sea levels were still occurring. Shelly Stephens joined us, along with Paulo's friend, Nikos Los Banos, with his amazing Dog, Mana. Mana is well known on Maui for his love of surfing with Nikos.

On a kayak and two stand-up paddle boards, we followed Shelly to the buoy. We then towed the buoy back to a spot near her usual mooring. A tricky situation turned humorous when Mana, a strong swimmer, was given a rope to help tow the buoy.

We were able to create a temporary mooring until we can go back with GPS to restore the original mooring early this week.

I could not bear the thought of losing the buoy after so many volunteers, including myself, have put in so much time and money to bringing the live whalesongs to you and the world. Big thanks to all!!!

Tsunami Update

2010-02-27T11:57:00.002-10:00

I'm sorry to report that some radio interference has moved into our buoy arena. The tsunami is hitting Hawai'i as I write. There is no way to get to the hydrophone and base station right now due to road closures and general evacuation of the coastal areas. We are now getting reports of erratic whale behavior outside of Kahului Harbor. A dramatic drop in the water level at Kahului Harbor is being reported.

Tsunami

2010-02-27T10:55:00.004-10:00

The whales are singing their seemingly normal songs for this season approximately 15 minutes before the predicted tsunami. I am recording now, out of curiosity. What does a tsunami sound like? I hope I don't hear the sound of our precious buoy washing up on shore. So many volunteers have had a hand in putting her in the ocean and keeping her working. We had a scheduled maintenance run on the calendar this morning. This would have involved two people on surfboard and kayak with tools at the buoy site. We are trying to address some intermittent noise, and the fact that our hydrophone gain is set a little high. This makes the hydrophone (basically an underwater microphone) very "hot." It's great for listening to the whales at medium and far distance. But when we get a singer close by, as we did last night (a very energetic singer) it is causing some distortion. We can't do anything until this tsunami passes, which could happen "any minute" according to the local news channel. More later.

Buoy Launch, Whale Day, Tsunami Alert

2010-02-27T09:00:00.002-10:00

Whale Day is always a big deal for us. We participated for our ninth year last Saturday and we always are pleased to see the smiles on the faces of people when they hear the live whalesongs. Mahalo to the Pacific Whale Foundation for inviting us again this year.

This is Eva, Kevin, Paulo and Trisha placing the buoy in the ocean last Friday, with new solar panels, transmitter, hydrophone. We raised $1,500 at our benefit fundraiser, which enable us to get her in the water. We have an amazing group of volunteers this year keeping the project going forward. We are trying to keep our heads above water financially until our next fund raising event with David Rothenberg on March 19. Stay tuned for details.

The buoy has been performing beautifully. Last night some noise developed in the system which we planned to address at the buoy site this morning. The Tsunami Alert has forced us to reschedule this service call.

2010-02-08T22:35:00.004-10:00

Leiʻohu Ryder with Maydene Iao at our fundraiser Friday night. Big thanks to them and cousin Keʻaliʻi, who danced the hula, and to Ed Ellsworth who took these photos on his iPhone. For a beautiful collage of photos of the evening that show more participants and some music go to Peter Rosenʻs Site. Thank you, Peter. Oh yes, thatʻs Jonathan Dreshler on bass.

Hereʻs George, our Whalesong Project Board Member, and 4 X Grammy winner! Congratulations George!

I want to thank everyone who came and helped, and donated money and time for this event. We plan another benefit on March 19 with David Rothenberg and Mark Takaha and special guests. Stay tuned. We raised about $1,700 after expenses on Friday, and we hope that will be enough to get the buoy in the ocean and cover the various associated costs of the webcast through February.

Update on Buoy and on Benefit Concert Feb 5 2010

2010-02-01T05:50:00.003-10:00

We are very happy to announce that Whalesong Project Board Member George Kahumoku Jr. just won his 4th Grammy Award in the Hawaiian Music category! George emailed me from Los Angeles from his iPhone with the great news last night. We are in the middle of creating an event for this Friday evening with George at Makawao Union Church on Baldwin Avenue near Rainbow Park, 7 pm through 11 PM. First two hours will feature George and other Hawaiian musicians, with hula, and with a little talk-story about the Oceans and Whales....and really anything George wants to talk about. Heʻs a true Hawaiian Renaisance Man, and it is always a great pleasure to hear him play and hear what he has to say. The second part of the evening will explore the musical and mystical realms of the Whale and Ocean world, and human interaction, with Sam David, WhaleTrance, and Eva Gueke, WhaleDance. My band, Keaolani, will open the show. There will be surprise guests and we expect it to be a very enjoyable evening. The acoustics and atmosphere are very good at this venue. Suggested donation $20, Seniors $10, Keiki free.

Money raised will go to getting our buoy, Hōkūmoanalani, back in the ocean for the season. We are getting a later start than we would like to be getting, but itʻs been a challenging couple of seasons in many ways. Weʻve lost some key people to relocation and the economy, and illness. But we are still standing, and hope to become a stronger organization as the challenges facing the worldʻs oceans increase. Your donations through the Paypal button, by mail, or by attendance at our fundraiser will help with that. We remain an all-volunteer organization. There are no salaries, and no compensation paid, to officers, board members, or our team of dedicated volunteers. Your contributions pay for hardware, software, webcasting and webhosting fees, costs associated with participating in the many events we show up at to promote Ocean health and awareness. Stay tuned for details.

Making Progress towards the Sea

2010-01-24T12:41:00.007-10:00

The whales are here and singing. The buoy is getting closer to being complete every day. I think it will be at least three more days to complete all tests and get a boat, but it could take longer, depending on how testing goes.

Sam David painted the buoy and has added some artistic touches that are beautiful.

Buoy Progress Report

2010-01-21T19:29:00.007-10:00

Thanks to all for your patience, as we complete the final stages of the buoy renovation.

We just finished reassembling the power and floatation modules this evening.

We found out today that we need to re-engineer our base station on land, where the receiver and web interface are located, due to physical changes at the site. There are challenges like this every year, but I just keep reminding myself that this is an all-volunteer labor of love, and we just do our best. Thanks to everyone who shows up each year to keep the project alive!

Everyone involved in this project also has a day job, and the economy is challenging right now, but we are moving forward anyway. We had some donations come in over the holidays that will get the buoy in the water if we are very careful to spend it strategically. Thank you to those who pressed the Paypal button.

The picture above shows the electronic section on the work bench last night. Two more photos below.

Here James, Kevin and Paulo test the battery pack, cables, and solar charging circuitry on Sunday.

Me, Atreya and his Dad, Sam, retesting the charging system after repairs yesterday.

2009-12-15T10:55:00.003-10:00

Our buoy is in the renovation stage right now. Itʻs a night and weekend project for us. Thanks to Paulo (picture below) for his late night dedication. Our goal is to have improved performance and have it in by Christmas, but there are a lot of variables. Many thanks to all who have contributed to our project over the years. Sending aloha and gratitude to each of you.

Tangled up In Blue - Maui Humpack Tangled, Blue Whales Song Lower

2009-12-03T06:14:00.003-10:00

Two stories that are breaking in the Whale world today:

A juvenile Humpback is tangled in rope between Maui and Molokai, as teams prepare to entangle it. See Story. This points out the importance of reducing ocean nets, ropes, debris, which create problems for whales and dolphins.

Also, researchers are documenting the fact that the songs of the Blue Whale are getting lower in frequency. There is speculation on causes, and more about the mystery of these songs. See Story.

I'm back on Maui after extended travel, and will be working on the buoy, with the hopes of having her in the ocean by Christmas.

If you would like to contribute to this all-volunteer project, right now money to pay for batteries, a computer for the webcast, parts and supplies would be greatly appreciated. There is a Paypal button on the right side of this page.

More on Ice Sheets melting, and ocean levels rising

2009-11-23T15:56:00.001-10:00

News continues to come to us of rising sea levels due to climate change. This article says 1.5 inches since 1997.

Whales are arriving - Project Status Update

2009-11-17T21:12:00.003-10:00

As the whales return, we volunteers at The Whalesong Project are scrambling to raise money to get the buoy back in the ocean. Itʻs an annual ritual, it seems for us. Launching and nurturing the project each whale season takes a lot of time and attention. Last season saw us participate in more events than ever, and at the same time our income dropped dramatically. At the end of each season we scramble back to our paying jobs so we are able to participate in another whale season, which always arrives faster than we expect. We always hope to have the buoy in early so we can hear the early season songs, but we do the best we can.....which means if everything goes well we will have her in the ocean by Christmas...which is when the babies start showing up and the singing begins in earnest. Of course, no one can really prove yet why these mysterious songs are sung, and why they evolve the way they do each year. I keep listening each year in fascination, and something new is learned each year. Maybe, like a puzzle, the "picture" of what we are hearing will be come clearer with time. In the meanwhile, listening and enjoying the fact that these beautiful creatures are still with us after a close brush with extinction, is an annual ritual and celebration for me.

The older Hawaiians tell us that the Whales arrive when the Makaliʻi, the Pleides, come up over the horizon and the Sandalwood Trees blossom. Itʻs the ancient season of the God Lono, who represents peace and agriculture. Itʻs a season when any war ceased. That season is upon us.

Whales Arriving - A New Season Begins

2009-10-26T06:22:00.005-10:00

This unusual photo shows the President of the Maldive Islands at an underwater cabinet meeting, signing a document calling on all countries to cut their carbon dioxide emissions. Rising sea levels could put the Maldives under water. See Story.

We at Whalesong Project remain committed to raising awareness about ocean health issues, and to promoting activities that will protect the worldʻs oceans. We cannot have a healthy planet without healthy oceans.

I am in Thailand right now, where the ASEAN Community just completed their annual conference. They have made a strong unified commitment to dealing with global warming. Not far from here, the new Prime Minister of Japan has made a promise of aggressive cuts of carbon dioxide emissions, and a new generation of electric cars are being showcased. China is making great strides in solar cell production. But the challenges sometimes seem daunting, with the ice caps melting at unanticipated rates.

Switching topics, I, for one, am happy that our President received the Nobel Peace Prize. Without nuclear arms control and trust building, itʻs hard to imagine how we are going to be able to reduce the amount of sonar being used by the military powers of the world. Sonar is a problem if you are a whale or a dolphin, and use of sonar is growing. Congratulations President Obama! And thanks for recognizing global warming!

This picture was taken during a recent system upgrade meeting, as we prepare for season 10. Rich Shipley, shown on the computer desktop talking to me by Skype (Iʻm in Thailand), has been a vital part of the project since the beginning. Heʻs in California, and heʻs adding 100 more 64K audio streams. We plan these streams to be launchable from more platforms, easier to use, more reliable. Behind Rich is the new Whalesong German website http://www.whalesong.info, which was put together by Markus Enderle and his crew in Germany. We might be spread out, but we are committed. The whales are already arriving. New challenges await us all. Letʻs pull together and do the best we can, okay?

Getting ready for Season Number 10

2009-10-07T08:08:00.008-10:00

The Whalesong Project is preparing for Season Ten! We continue to hear from teachers and students, and all kinds of people who are listening to our live webcast every year. We continue to operate as an all-volunteer organization focused on inspiring people to care for the oceans. We feel we made progress recently when the first necropsy was performed on Maui that looked at the ears of the beached whale for acoustic trauma. This is something we have been talking to numerous politicians and agencies about for the past nine years. We also are making progress on a new initiative to model sustainable living ideas on our home Island, Maui. We need to change our lifestyle as a species if we are going to slow the melting of the glaciers and keep the oceans healthy. We are calling this project Haleakalā Institute. Please join us in our work by volunteering, or by pushing the Paypal button on the right top side of this page.
Your donations will give our volunteers some money to work with on this labor of love. Last year was a challenging one financially and we are hoping for more support from our listeners this season, so we can make improvements and move our new projects forward. Thank you!!!

From California - Discovery of a Five Million Year old Whale

2009-06-09T06:53:00.004-10:00

Iʻm in California this month catching up with family and my work. Here in Santa Cruz, an amateur archaeologist has discovered what is believed to be a five million year old fossilized whale. This video clip from KTVU TV shows a little footage from the "secret location."

Our friend, Pierre Lavagne, in his upcoming movie on whales, describes the whale song as a "million year" song. Maybe a lot longer than that, Pierre.

Itʻs interesting to think about a song that evolves and changes each year - that may have been sung for millions of years.

We are now hoping to raise the funds to keep our project alive into its tenth year of bringing the millions-of-years-old song into the human world through modern technology....in the hopes that our human awareness that we are all connected will deepen - and that we will collectively take action to keep these songs alive into the future.

Aloha, Dan

We brought the buoy in!

2009-05-29T12:22:00.004-10:00

We went to Sea on Sunday and brought Hōkūmoanalani back to shore. Our crew, left to right is Philip Gordon, Hein Hazenberg (from Amsterdam), Terry, Captain Willy Bennet (with his boat behind our group), Eva Gueke, and Trisha Pualani Cabral. Big thanks for a successful mission!!! The buoy is in excellent working condition and we had a wonderful time into the ocean while we were out there, thanks to Captain Willy and the professional yet fun loving crew that assembled for the adventure.

The cleaning was done at sea, and we always strive to leave every living creature safely in the ocean when we pull the buoy out. The photo above by Philip Gordon shows the buoy is in basically good shape for when our singing Koholā (humpback whales) return next fall. We are lucky in this project to be surrounded by mermaids and dolphins. The dolphins below were photographed by Whalesong Project supporter Pamela Kaʻimiloa Polland.

Teaser for the French Whale Movie - Pierre Lavagne, David Rothenberg, Whalesong Project - Directed by Dominique Lenglart

2009-05-29T11:41:00.002-10:00

Back to Recorded Songs - and more David Rothenberg on Whalesong audio processing

2009-05-03T18:08:00.004-10:00

Well, the live whale songs have receded into the background, and our buoy and related technology on the other side of the island need some attention. Iʻve gone back to recorded songs on our webcast. The webcast recorded songs have not been processed, as our live songs are not - except for a little bit of EQ to reduce the high frequency "noise" produced by the shrimp out there on the reef.

During his recent visit, David Rothenberg introduced us to a world of audio processing that he sometimes uses on his CD tracks with whale songs. Some of the technology is very interesting to us, because we can actually reduce the noise of the surface water motion and shrimp - and focus on the whales. We are saving money to buy the software and give it a try next season.

Anyway, I put up a short video clip here - of Davidʻs workshop for our project team. Thank you David!

There are still reports of whales out there, but sightings are becoming less frequent as they head north. Itʻs been a beautiful whale season. Thanks to all of you who have shown support in one way or another!

David Rothenberg on Whalesongs, Whale Intelligence and more

2009-04-30T18:09:00.004-10:00

Our friend David Rothenberg, who is a Professor of Music and Philosophy at New Jersey Institute of Technology, was interviewed by Daniel Oritz, Director of the award winning movie "Humpback Codes," while visiting us recently. We "eavesdrop" (with permissions) on part of that interview.

David discusses, among other subjects, the role the "discovery" of the whale songs had in leading to a movement to protect the whales, about the brain features and intelligence of whales, and what it is like to play music with the whales.

David is author of Why Birds Sing and The Thousand Mile Song - Whale Music in a Sea of Sound.

There are companion CDs with each of his publications that I highly recommend if you are interested in the songs of the natural world and the interaction of humans in that realm. David is an inspiring musician.

Papa Kai ʻohana - Our Ocean Family

2009-04-30T04:16:00.004-10:00

This photo was taken in Mexico where the "Gray Whales" regularly approach boatloads of people and enjoy human interaction. At one such place the government was convinced that it was better for the economy to have environmental tourism than to let a large corporation destroy the whaleʻs habitat with an industrialized salt production facility.

Why do the whales reach out to us, when it is the human species that hunted them to near extinction, and who continues to make life difficult for them? I find myself thinking it might be that we are a disfunctional family. My Hawaiian friend "Uncle" Les Kuloloio calls our large family "papa kai ʻohana." With my limited understanding of the Hawaiian language, I translate this to mean "the ocean mother earth family." When you think about it, many cultures refer to the earth as our Mother, and it doesnʻt take a lot of scientific observation to notice that "we" come from "her"..... and that we are alive because she nurtures us with the things that are essential for life....and that "she" is made up largely of ocean waters. The salinity of the blood in our veins is the same as the salinity of her ocean waters. "Uncle Les" goes on to say that the whales were viewed as "sacred" beings...in the realm of the Gods...the "directors of life," by his culture. The sacredness of life is something talked a lot about in most cultures. And our interdependedness is increasingly being recognized by the scientific community.

As I listen to a lone whale singing a beautiful haunting melody out there this early morning, I ponder these issues. Our Koholā are traveling to places North of here. While their numbers have increased....back from the brink of extinction...the journey is still dangerous because of the human side of our extended family. While we like to think of ourselves as smart and scientific, some members of our community blast them with sounds loud enough to make their brains bleed. And claim they are not being harmed, while not looking at their dead bodies to see if harm can be documented.

This puts us in the arena of national security and I again ask the question that I have asked Senators Reid and Inouye, and numerous other politicians that represent us: Do we really have national security without a healthy ocean and environment?

And how do we document the cost of our national security without collecting scientific data and making it public? Iʻm sorry, but this is a sore point for me because I have seen whales swim to shore, disoriented, during Navy sonar exercises.....as the Navy claims that they arenʻt harming whales here. With all due respect I ask at what cost our national security?

Is this necessary, or is it like the flight of Air Force One over Manhattan, something that someone thinks is a good idea without weighing the impact on people and the environment?
Of course you canʻt document the physical harm to the people of Manhattan. The media reports that thousands of terrified office workers evacuated buildings, but no one was physically harmed.

The whales cannot evacuate. The nature of sound in the ocean forces them to endure the incredibly loud sounds that sonar forces on them. Whatever the reason for doing it, I think we have a responsibility to know that we are doing it, and we should know what the results are. Letʻs be real. This is real life, not a game we are playing.

Yet the whales still sing their beautiful mysterious songs, and they still approach us and share affection for us. Perhaps there is hope for our extended family Papa Kai ʻOhana. But I believe we need to speak out, as the Mayor of New York City did, and express outrage when it is appropriate. President Obama was said to be outraged at the incident.

I commend President Obama on the job he is doing. I love the guy. He has a good heart. He obviously needs to reel in people and exert control in his position, and I in doing so I hope he will address the issues of the acoustic health of our oceans. In the meanwhile, I will keep talking to anyone who will listen.

With aloha,

-- Dan

The buoy is working again!

2009-04-28T23:47:00.003-10:00

It is late in the season, but I am happy to report the system is all working again. There are a few whales singing tonight. Please enjoy the last songs of this season, as our Koholā head north for the feeding grounds around Alaska.

Earth Day at University of Hawai'i Mānoa

2009-04-28T23:32:00.005-10:00

I always enjoy seeing childrenʻs faces when the listen to the whales. Some listen very deeply. Some dance. It doesnʻt seem to matter how young or old they are, for there to be a fascination and connection. We celebrated Earth Day with our neighbors on Oʻahu last week. It was a great crowd and we met a lot of new friends.
I was really impressed with the commitment that a lot of the Marine Biology Students on Campus have. There is a real passion for taking care of the ocean that left me feeling good.

Members of Victoria Holt-Takamineʻs Hālau Hula performed to a large crowd there on the Mānoa campus.

Back to Recorded Whale Songs

2009-04-20T23:15:00.003-10:00

Something funny is happening with the buoy. Sometimes she is working and you can hear a few distant whales singing. Sometimes she is intermittent. We are taking her offline for the time being. The songs you are hearing are recorded.

Most of us involved in this project are involved with music in one way or another. We were invited to present at More Fishes Hawaiʻi Conference and to open the conference with some music and hula. We brought some friends, and have included a snapshot of the event in this post. Thank you to Sheldon and Kevin Brown, and Gordean Leilehua Lee Baily and her Halau Wehiwehi o Leilehua.

We have many beautiful memories from this whale season.

Aloha, Dan

Buoy is live again!

2009-04-20T16:43:00.003-10:00

Many thanks to Willy (the whale) Bennet for successfully troubleshooting a problem with our broadcast system on the South Side of Maui. Hereʻs a photo of Willy (with goggles) during adventures at the buoy with the French film team. Pierre Lavange, the main subject of the film, is in the water (in silver). We hear from the Director, Dominique, that it will be seen on National TV in France, and that they are looking for connections with U.S. broadcasters.

The whales are in the distance, and we have turned up the gain on our system to take that into account. You will be hearing shrimp, boats, paddlers, wave noise, and (if we are lucky) some end-of-season songs to culminate this season. The whales I hear now are probably ten miles away. Maybe later tonight weʻll hear something closer. Thanks for listening!

Aloha, Dan

Earth Day greetings and Buoy Update

2009-04-20T12:06:00.002-10:00

We really enjoyed Earth Day at Studio Maui yesterday afternoon and evening. We love to share our project with the community and meet the people who are listening and find inspiration from our project - and other people who are working on various projects to benefit the earth and the environment. Hereʻs a picture of Amber and Sam at our display area last night. They are expecting a baby, and we are all excited about that.

The buoy signal has been intermittent, and the whales are diminishing rapidly in numbers. We are weighing whether to mount a buoy repair mission or to call it a season.

We have an invitation to present at Earth Day at the University of Hawaiʻi campus on Oʻahu this Wednesday. We have also been informed that there is interest in beaming our live songs into deep space from Cape Canaveral again this year - a project of Sirius Institute in collaboration with Earth Day University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Campus.

Itʻs been a very busy season, and the costs of the project have vastly exceeded our income. Itʻs a challenging time for everyone right now, and we are not exempt. Even though we are an all-volunteer organization, and we enjoy the project tremendously, we may need to end the season so we can recuperate financially and be ready to go again next year.

Right now we are playing a recording, while we evaluate the situation. Thanks to all of you who have participated and helped with the project this year, and in past years. Stay tuned!

Happy Earth Day Season

Aloha, Dan

Iphone Application now available for Whalesong Project

2009-04-16T14:22:00.003-10:00

I am very happy to report the development of a dediated I phone application to link to our hydrophone and our project - through a collaboration between The Whalesong Project and Gladworks. Thank you Gladworks!!! To buy this application for $4.99 go to the Itunes store, and search the Applications store for "the Whalesong project". Hook it up to your stereo system in your car and cruise to live whalesongs, or listen at night to help you sleep (warning: may induce whale dreaming).

Whalesong Benefit Update

2009-04-09T00:45:00.004-10:00

Thank you to everyone who attended our benefit concert, organized by David Rothenberg. We raised $525, which was a huge help during these crazy financial times. We are all volunteer, and run on an annual budget of about $15,000. We work hard to make this project work, and we appreciate your support. Thanks to all of the musicians who participated, and to Bruce and Satya at Mandala Ethnica Arts, Phillip Gordon...everyone who participated.

We are really big on the whale songs, but we also listen to the other voices in the orchestra. Some voices are hard to hear, some are disappearing. We want to take care of the oceans, and to inspire others to do the same. Thank you for contributing, for adding your voice, for participating, for sharing our website with others...spreading the word. Pictured above are, from the left, Pamela Kaʻimiloa Polland, me, Laurie and Jake Rohrer, opening for David.

Hereʻs me and David. We played with the whales. David thinks the whales were saved from extinction largely by the fascination created by the introduction of their songs into our world with the album created by researcher Roger Payne. The album sold over 2 million!

Hereʻs Pamela Polland, me, Laurie Rohrer, Trisha Cabral. More pictures later. Thanks again, everyone!!!

Donʻt forget we are at the Ritz Carlton this weekend for Celebration of the Arts. There are a lot of childrenʻs activities, and we have some artists, musicians and story tellers participating with us this year. Come see us there!!!

Aloha, Dan

Interwoven Destinies

2009-04-06T06:42:00.007-10:00

Iʻm always thinking about what it is we are doing at The Whalesong Project. Especially when I find myself, and I always do, in the middle of some new unexpected experience each whale season. Here I am out at sea with my upright bass surrounded by cameras from France, Germany and New Zealand. What was I doing there? (I asked myself). Well, I was trying to catch up in the office last week - to keep my small company alive - but the enthusiasm of this international group, including musician/philosopher/author David Rothenberg, literally swept me out to sea. David again reminded us that it was the songs of the whales, "discovered" and published in the 1960ʻs, that largely created the awareness to support protecting the whales - or many species would arguably be extinct now.

The French Crew was following the adventures of Pierre Lavange, founder of the Shelltone Whale Project. Pierre is interested in saving the whales by sharing their songs, and he has also created an instrument to allow people to attempt to communicate with them.....a very interesting project. More on this later.

I seem to want to give exposure to our project, and to inspire people to care about the oceans....just about anyone who will listen. And part of our project seems to be recognizing the interwoven destinies of all of us who live on this beautiful planet. That interwovenness becomes apparent each whale season, as people who do care show up - and we interact in sometimes unpredictable ways. But the beauty is in the sharing, and the time we get to spend together doing whatever it is we are doing at the time....recognizing that we all depend on each other to create a good future for our children and grand children.

We at The Whalesong Project obviously seem to care about giving a voice to the natural world. We seem to be, strangely, the Sound Crew for the largest voice on the planet....and one that is rarely heard above the noise of modern civilization.

We are concerned about the future of the ocean, and want to inspire others to care. You could say that we have a commitment to care relentlessly. My dear friend and Kumu Hula, "Auntie" Gordean Leilehua Lee Baily (pictured above) composed a beautiful ʻoli and hula that describes a view of the world I like. She performed it with her hālau at the More Fishes Hawaiʻi Conference that we participated in on Saturday. A short version of "Aloha i ka ʻāina":

Aloha i ka ʻāina no nā kau a kau
(Love the ʻāina for all time -the ʻāina includes the land, water, ocean, creatures, people)
Mālama i ka ʻāina me ka manaʻo nō nā keiki
(Care for the 'āina thinking of the children)
Kiahi i ka ʻāina nō nā kau a kau
(Protect the ʻāina - be guardians - for all time)

The Ahapuaʻa System of ancient Hawaiʻi recognized the connection between the heavens and the highest mountain and the deep ocean. What we do above is reflected in what is seen below. A healthy ecosystem on land creates healthy reefs and healthy fish, and the necessities of a healthy life exist. What happens in France, New Zealand, Germany, and other far off places affects the health of the reefs and ecosystems here in the remote Pacific, in these modern times. Our interwoven destinies are converging, and we are working together to make a better world I think.

Wow, the sun is up. What am I doing? I better get to work.

With aloha, Dan

Peak Activity Period for Whalesong Project

2009-04-04T10:52:00.002-10:00

So much is happening lately that it is hard to get the time to write any of it down. We are at the More Fishes Hawaiʻi conference today at Maui Community College. Next weekend we are at Celebration of the Arts at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. The following weekend we will be at Earth Day Baldwin Beach. Please come see us and talk story about how to create a healthy future for our oceans on this water planet live on.Last week we had a great benefit concert with David Rothenberg, and I even got to go to sea with David and play some music with the whales - while being filmed by a French film crew for a documentary on whales.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our project recently!!! We raised over $1,000 in the past week, that will help us keep the buoy going through this season. We are very grateful for this! You are part of the team. Stay in touch, give us feedback, help us refine our direction, take personal initiative and let us know how we can help!!!

Buoy Service mission complete

2009-03-29T11:35:00.006-10:00

Radha Divine and David Rothenberg assisted in a buoy repair mission today!

The buoy is working great again after a trip out there by kayak. A leak in the portal that brings the hydrophone cable into the electronics compartment caused some corrosion of connectors. Repairs were completed successfully and Hokumoanalani is doing a great job. Big thanks to David and Radha for their vital help in making the repairs.

The benefit concert was great. We raised $525!!! Thanks to all of you who attended! Thank you Rosalie Shaw in Sonoma County for your generous donation!!! We will spend it wisely to keep this system going!

Aloha, Dan

Are our children learning enough about Whales?

2009-03-28T18:39:00.001-10:00

In The Know: Are Our Children Learning Enough About Whales?

On the move

2009-03-25T10:27:00.002-10:00

This picture was taken by me yesterday, in one of my precious few trips to the ocean this year. This formation of whales is referred to by researchers as a "Surface Activity Group." It is generally associated with mating activity in the minds of researchers and the general public....there is usually a female being pursued by a group of males. But researchers also acknowledge that there is a lot yet to learn about these mysterious creatures of the deep. No one, it is believed by researchers, has observed actual mating, but amorous activity has been observed and documented.

The whale numbers are thinning here, but the ones who are here are doing plenty of vocalizing. We had some trouble with the system this morning, but we have it working again thanks to our dedicated team. The project attracts a group of very bright and good hearted people, who I am grateful to call my friends.

Our team is all volunteer and our operating expenses are still outweighing our income. Please come to our benefit concert Friday night 8 pm Mandala Ethnic Arts Paʻia. David Rothenberg will be there with some other talented musicians and a gentleman from France who has designed an instrument for communicating with whales. Please come and support our project.

With appreciation and aloha,

Dan

All about Whales and their songs

2009-03-23T11:01:00.002-10:00

If you are interested in the whale songs and the history of manʻs discovery of their songs, musical collaborations between people and whales, great songwriters who have written songs about the whales (including Pete Seeger), indigenous peopleʻs relationship to the whales, listen to this ABC radio program with David Rothenberg. It took 8 months to produce and is an extraordinary program. David will be with us at a concert he is organizing to benefit our project this Friday at Mandala Ethnic Arts Paʻia 8 pm.

Hawaiian Language Whalesong Website

2009-03-23T01:02:00.002-10:00

Kanikoholā means the sound, "kani," of the humpback whale, "koholā." I think Koholā sounds better than "humpback." I actually prefer the Hawaiian language to any of the other languages I speak or play with. It expresses things differently than other languages I am familiar with, and it has a beautiful sound to it. And there is wisdom hidden in the language and the way it is articulated. The language was almost lost. It was illegal to speak Hawaiian in the schools here until 1986. Thanks to Punana Leo o Maui and other organizations, the language is returning. I am grateful to my teachers, and I want to contribute keeping the language of Hawaiʻiʻs people alive. Kanaka maoli and other interested parties can now hear the songs of the Koholā at our new website http://www.kanikohola.com. Please enjoy. E kalamai i aʻu, I apologize in advance, for any errors in my Hawaiian. Iʻm open to feedback, contributions, ideas, direction on this cultural component of our project, which will be growing.

malama i ke kai, e ola kākou

by taking care of the oceans we bring health to us all

Aloha, Dan

Whales are very active here and so are the people

2009-03-23T00:11:00.004-10:00

This is Bonnie Crystal, who customized the radio transmitters and receivers we have been using for these past nine seasons, in her Hong Kong laboratory. Bonnie just sent us two sets of back up systems for the buoy!!! Thanks again for coming through for the project Bonnie!!!

The whales are quite active as we pass the middle of the season. Numbers are down a little but the songs continue and they are changing as the season progresses. Katie Velasquez, naturalist aboard the Prince Kuhio out of Maʻalaea, snapped this photo for us on Friday. The whale breached thirty feet from the boat. Katie is an ocean researcher and activist and keeps us informed on important issues.
I was invited to this "Whalesong birthday party" last night. Raphiell Nolin (wearing the lei) invited his friends to come to his party and bring a donation for The Whalesong Project in lieu of gifts. His enthusiasm and support for our project made me feel really appreciated. We made music with the live whale songs and there are some really good musicians in this group. We had a really great time. Thank you, Raphiell, for your support! Happy Birthday!!!

People are working to put another benefit for our project this Friday evening at Mandala Ethnic Arts in Paʻia, organized by our friend David Rothenberg. More to follow. Thanks to everyone who is pitching in to help keep the project going!!!!

Important events on Maui

2009-03-19T08:50:00.007-10:00

Whalesong Project friend and supporter Varuna

Iʻd like to let our Maui people know about three important events coming up. One is a fundraiser for a Whalesong friend and contributor who is dealing with cancer. Many of you know Varuna Dargan, who has connected us deeper with the meaning and importance of the whales and their songs in Native American and other indigenous cultures. This event will be at The Studio Maui in Haʻiku on March 29, and will include live music and dance. There will be some really great talent there and a lot of good energy. It will be a beautiful heartfelt gathering! Follow this link for information about the event, or this link to stay in touch with Varuna and contribute to Varunaʻs care online.

Another is the annual Hoʻomau festival this Saturday, March 21. Follow this link for details. It is a wonderful day-long event that features incredible local musicians, hula, good food, great silent auction. This is one of my favorite annual events on Maui and it raises money for Punanaleo o Maui, a Hawaiian language immersion preschool. It was illegal to speak Hawaiian in Hawaiʻiʻs schools until 1986, believe it or not! The language was almost lost to the people of Hawaiʻi, along with the land and the sovereignty that existed before the illegal overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani. Thanks to Punanaleo o Maui for keeping the language and culture alive! We at The Whalesong Project strive to be good citizens here in Hawaiʻi. The culture here is, we believe, unique and beautiful and imortant to Hawaiʻi and the world. I hope to see you there.

The third event is our 2nd annual fundraiser, put together again this year by author and musician David Rothenberg, author of "Why Birds Sing" and "The Thousand Mile Song - Whale Music in a Sea of Sound." David has fascinating stories and music to share. It will be at Mandala Ethnic Arts in Paʻia on March 27. Details to follow. I hope to see you there as well.

Aloha,

--Dan

The buoy - Hōkūmoanalani

2009-03-19T06:49:00.004-10:00

Hereʻs our buoy back at the start of the season. We were working long hours and honestly impatient to get her in the ocean. Nari seems to be saying, "so when do we get to listen to the whales?" Last night I hooked my Iphone to a good speaker system and listened with Nariʻs mother at a small gathering. We were all amazed at the songs we are now able to hear. Thanks for your help, Nari!
This is Whalesong Project volunteer/partner Robert Bonafacio with the dish antenna that is receiving the live whalesongs from the buoy. Itʻs a complex system that seems to need a lot of attention. We enjoy doing it, especially when we hear the many expressions of appreciation from all around the world.
A lot of people wantt to know where the buoy is. Hereʻs Robert again, pointing to the dot that is Hōkūmoanalani, our floating solar-powered technology platform....also a beautiful piece of floating art out there. She is performing magnificently this season. We are hoping to raise money to point a live webcam with a zoom lens at her so you can enjoy the whales from wherever you are out there in the world. All of our resources are keeping the system working right now, so itʻs honestly hard to move forward on the new projects.

We are very grateful that there will be a benefit concert with David Rothenberg, Keaolani, Alohia and other guest musicians at Mandala Ethnic Arts in Paʻia on March 27. I think 8 pm. I hope you will join us and have some fun and learn about the whales together while we raise money to keep the system working. Thanks to David and his team putting this together for us. More to come on this soon.

Aloha, Dan

The system is working!

2009-03-17T22:53:00.003-10:00

This young listener was very excited about hearing the live whalesongs at our display in Eco Alley on Whale Day in Kihei this year. I am now very excited because after a couple of days of problems, we have the system working again.

You can see the excitement on our faces in this picture taken on the day we launched Hōkūmoanalani this season. After all of that work, and with the relatively short season in which we get to share the whale songs with the world, I have a lot of incentive to keep it working.

It took a team today, and it took most of the day and the evening, in the rain, but now it is working.

There were multiple causes to the failure, all outside of our control. The good news is that we are back online and that the whales are singing a lot. I perceive some occasional minor radio interference to our audio signal, probably from a new wireless modem we are using. I will try to straighten that out tomorrow.

Everything is working well - but the credit cards are maxed. We realize we arenʻt the only organization facing this problem right now. We count our blessings that we are able to keep our project alive given the current world financial situation.

We are getting tremendous support from volunteers....people give generously of their time and personal resources to the project....but money is a real problem for us right now. (See March 16 morning blog entry)

Most of our donations come in the form of $10 to $50 annual donations from friends who send money every year. We are forever grateful for this support. The tough financial times have tremendously reduced our income. We could really use some benefactors....people who want to leave a legacy for their grandchildren to be proud of. Well, we all want that....and some large donations would help with that.

Thanks for listening,

Aloha, Dan

Whalesong Benefit and Events

2009-03-17T00:45:00.002-10:00

Our friend David Rothenberg, author of "The Thousand Mile Song - Whale Music in a Sea of Sound" and "Why Birds Sing," is returning to Maui this month to do some filming on a new project. He is bringing friends, and wants to do another benefit for The Whalesong Project. Bruce and Satya, owners of Mandala Ethnic Arts in Paʻia, have kindly donated their space for the benefit. David is an eclectic musician and reasearcher who has traveled the world learning about the songs of the whales and the birds. He has stories to tell and music to share. The benefit will be the evening of March 27. Expect surprise musical guests and an entertaining evening....and a live "jam session" with the whales! More details to follow.

The Whalesong Project has also been asked to share our work and the live whale songs again this year at Celebration of the Arts at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. This is a beautiful event. We are humbled and honored to be invited for eight seasons now. Please join us there.

Buoy and Project Status Report

2009-03-16T23:22:00.004-10:00

We are perpetually grateful to Willy (The Whale) Bennett for his ongoing participation in The Whalesong Project for many years. Willy and his trusty boat have been integral to the success of the project - launching, retrieving, repairing, maintaining the buoy. Recently, Willy has been swimming out to the buoy and performing routine maintenance. I called him yesterday to let him know that something wasn't working properly. He promptly swam out there and sent back a full report with pictures to document what he saw. I'll share these:
Things look good on the topside of the buoy. It is in "fine shape physically."
They hydrophone "looks good." Willy removed a barnacle from it carefully and observed no damage.
The dish receiving antenna (small green dot center screen on shore above the beach) is unobscured and pointing in the right direction.
The seas have calmed down a bit but are still choppy. That's Haleakalā, the "House of the Sun" in the background. Speaking of the sun, Willy also teaches on the subject of solar energy at our community college here on Maui. Thank you again Willy for all the good things you do here on Maui, and for being so dedicated to the success of our project. Thatʻs quite a swim out there.

The problem with the buoy appears to be internal. In the oceanic environment things break down and need to be repaired and maintained almost constantly. We are mounting a rescue mission for the buoy with Willyʻs help, and hope to have it working properly again very soon. The songs you are listening to now on our website are recorded.

Stay tuned.

Aloha,

Dan

Whalesong needs suppport to finish the Season

2009-03-16T09:41:00.006-10:00

These international students were fascinated by the live whale songs we shared at Whale Day this year. We have been heartened to connect at Whale Day, Whalequest, Celebration of the Arts, Earth Day Maui, and other events, with people from all over the world who use our site in their schools, homes, and special events to share these beautiful and mysterious songs with their children, family and friends, students, co-workers, politicians, community leaders.

We seek, in our sharing of these songs, to inspire people to care about the oceans and the environment. It is important that we understand also that the ocean is an acoustic environment and that some human acoustic activities are dangerous to the whales, dolphins and other marine life. And there are also other serious issues going on right now related to ocean health. How to do something positive that is inspiring and intelligent and effective becomes our important task.

Our buoy needs repair at this moment and I am looking for a boat to get out there and fix her. I am playing a tape we recorded earlier until repairs are made. We have had a good season so far, with a long run of reliable performance by our system, which received a lot of tender loving care before going out into the ocean.

My goal at the beginning of this season was to get a zodiac for needed repairs, as making repairs by kayak is very difficult, and I injured my back doing that before Earth Day last year. A standard runabout is good for launching and bringing the buoy in, but does not work so well for repairs because of the height difference relative to the electronics compartment on the buoy, and the combined motions of the two create a sometimes difficult dynamic. A boat of the type we need costs about $5,000 used. This type of boat can tie up to the buoy at the proper height without damaging it, and thus facilitate ease of maintenance.

I also planned to put up a $2,000 webcam this season so you can see the buoy and the ocean around it, maybe some whales and dolphins. And we planned to introduce a new project of ours that we hope will help move us towards a world above water that better supports life in the ocean. We are calling the project Haleakala Institute. It is now functioning as a "think tank" on issues of importance to supporting a healthy environment. We plan on a resource center and demonstration project. We need about $5,000 to move it to the next step.

Our donations to support The Whalesong Project have declined dramatically this season. We are a volunteer organization, and we have been operating on about $15,000 per year. I think we have received less than $800 in donations over the past 9 months. With the economy the way it is we are all challenged, and I am no exception. I may not be able to complete the season using my credit cards to keep this all going. So we need $15,000 to pay off our debt and get ourselves through this season and into next with the live webcast. And we need $12,000 more to move our other initiatives forward.

We are doing everything we can to keep our work going because we think it is important. What we could really use right now is a donation or donations that would allow us to really go forward with our work.......beyond maintaining this system that allows us to connect with the ocean and whale world, and move further into education and demonstration of sustainable ways to live and protect the oceans and whales at the same time....The Haleakala Institute.

We have a team that loves the oceans and wants to do good things, and has the intelligence and energy and good will to do it. If you know anyone who can help support the project financially please connect us!

Thank you,

Dan

Listen to Live Whalesongs from your Iphone

2009-03-01T14:31:00.002-10:00

I am a happy guy, because I can now check on the buoy and hear the whales anywhere from my Iphone. If youʻd like to do this, download StreamitAll from the Itunes store for only $3.99.

When you synchronize your phone, StreamitAll will be on your phoneʻs "desktop." Click on it and answer three questions and you are ready to go. Click on + to add a station. Name the station Whalesong Project or whatever you like. Then add this where it asks for the URL: http://www.live365.com/play/whalesongmaui

Enjoy!!!!

Aloha, Dan

Of Whale and Human Musicians and Our Project

2009-03-01T13:58:00.004-10:00

We are about half way through whale season here. My Hawaiian friends tell me the whales arrive at the beginning of Makahiki Season, a season of peace, when the Sandalwood trees bloom and the Pleides come up over the horizon. There are new songs this year and it is always amazing to me to hear the song change as the season progresses.

My dear friends and brothers George Kahumoku Jr. and Ed Bigelow are pictured here with me making some music for friends one beautiful day. Ed and George are both founding board members of our project. Ed, with the ukulele, is President of our Board of Directors. Ed has some health issues he is dealing with right now and he is in our prayers. George is playing guitar and Iʻm playing bass. We love to play music together and Iʻm looking forward to more. Come home soon, Ed.
Here we are at Whale Day in Kihei, and thousands of people came by our display to hear the live whale songs. These international students were seemingly transfixed by the beauty and mystery of this yearʻs songs.
George was there with us and played on the main stage to a huge audience. George is known for his beautiful Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar music and his melodic voice. He is also known for playing music with the whales, and he played live with the whales on Whale Day to an appreciative audience. He also let me hold one of his three Grammy Awards, which he brought to share at our display. Humans and Whales love to sing, and Iʻm grateful that we do. It brings beauty and joy to life.

Whale Day in Kihei is tomorrow

2009-02-20T23:11:00.003-10:00

We will be in Kihei for Whale Day tomorrow, in Eco Alley bringing the live whalesongs to the event. George Kahumoku, a Whalesong Project Director and three time Grammy winner, will be playing on the main stage around 11 a.m. I think George may jam with the whales again this year in real time. You can see our buoy from the stage.

I was out on a whale watch boat recently with friends and this whale reached out to us and made contact with many on board. He would look us in the eye, roll over, and then roll over on his back and show his white belly, then look at us again, go under the boat and do the same for people on the other side. It was a beautiful experience.

I hope to see many of you at Whale Day. Thank you, PWF, for inviting us! Aloha!

Whale Quest!!! A Fabulous Event!!!

2009-02-15T11:13:00.004-10:00

Hereʻs Samuel ("Samuwhale") at our display at Whale Quest Kapalua. Thanks Sam!!!

These two professors of music from Washington State University, David and Heidi Jarvis, are here to study the whale song. I look forward to reading the book.

Rachel (in front) is fascinated by the live whale songs. She is a student at Punahou School, the same school our new President attended when he grew up here in Hawaiʻi.

I stopped by to see my friend George Kahumoku while on this side of the island. Here is George with his students at Lahainaluna High School. One of his students created this whale mural on the side of his class room. George is a Whalesong Project Director, and now a three time Grammy Award winner for his music. George and I will be playing with Pamela Polland and Special Guests at a benefit for the Maui Wildlife Sanctuary, known as the "Booboo Zoo" at the Tropical Plantation at 7 PM this evening.

Aloha to everyone out there listening!

Whalequest at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua

2009-02-13T16:28:00.002-10:00

Itʻs Whalequest time here in Kapalua and Iʻve just heard fascinating presentations by Flip Nicklin, my favorite whale photographer, and Dr. Jim Darling, one of my favorite whale researchers. The event goes on all weekend, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in these fascinating whales. Many researchers will be presenting, and there is always something new to learn each year. We are here Saturday and Sunday bringing live whalesongs to the event. Please drop by and visit our exhibit just to the left at the entrance to the main exhibit room. Many thanks to Whalequest and the Ritz Carlton Kapalua for inviting us back this year.

Whales "Celebrate Obamaʻs Inauguration"

2009-02-05T14:37:00.004-10:00

My friend Pamela Polland just sent me this link to an interesting YouTube Video with this description of what is happening with an active group of whales.

"Just minutes before a traditional Hawaiian blessing to honor Barak
Obama's Inauguration, a pod of joyful whales began gathering by the
temple where the event was taking place. People at the gathering who
have lived on the Big Island their whole lives, had never seen
anything like what took place on this special day. This happy pod of
whales began with 3 white belly breaches, followed by spyhopping,
slapping their fins and tails and a new behavior we have never seen
before that we nicknamed the full body slap... for a full 30 minutes!
The voice you will hear in the background is Haleaka Iolani Pule
Dooley, known locally as "Aunty Aka" and you can hear the excitement
in her voice as the whales celebrate wildly in front of her and those
gathering for the special blessing"

I have no comment as to whether the whales were indeed "celebrating" Obamaʻs inauguration, but if they were, I share their excitement.

Enjoy!

Aloha, Dan

Beautiful Whalesongs Every Day, Whales Everywhere, Everything is Working

2009-02-03T16:35:00.004-10:00

I'm happy to report that everything is working very well now!!! It's been a lot of work, but we are where we want to be. The whales are singing new songs, new variations of old songs, and vocalizing things that scientists and whale observers can only guess about the meaning of. I find the late night peaceful singing to be extremely enjoyable.

On another "note"- I've heard chatter recently about the importance of the whales to the local economy. In these challenging financial times many people have jobs that are related to people traveling here just to spend time with the whales.

Speaking of challenging financial times, The Whalesong Project has lots of volunteer help, but very little money is coming in this season. Our largest contributor lost money in the stock market crash, and couldn't send money this year. This means we volunteers are also paying for the costs of operating this complex system. If you want to support our project, or you know someone who might want to support us, please let us know or visit our How You Can Help Page.

And please enjoy the ocean songs.

Aloha, Dan

The Whale Songs are live again!!!! Hooray!!!

2009-01-27T00:43:00.006-10:00

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this whalesong webcasting season possible. The system is working again. There is some static tonight that I think I can clear up tomorrow. Iʻve been working nights on it so I can keep my day job going to pay the bills. I got as far as I could in the dark and now the dish antenna for the receiver is duct taped to a fence post. It should sound better once I can get on the roof in some daylight. Thanks everyone for your patience. To listen live go to www.whalesong.net, or try this link. Or paste this link -

http://www.live365.com/play/whalesongmaui

into your I Tunes player under Advanced Settings, Open Stream.

More great pictures of the launch by Anna Kim are posted on her website.

Thanks for listening. Aloha kākou!

Buoy Launch 2009

2009-01-26T01:19:00.004-10:00

Wow! I can barely believe we are going into our ninth season. Here are some pictures taken by Anna Kim of our launch today.

Hōkūmoanalani is back in the ocean! Stay tuned.

2009-01-25T23:26:00.004-10:00

We had a perfect launch of the buoy today. Many thanks to Steve Hogan and Makena Coast Dive Charters for delivering her to her mooring site in perfect condition! Shelly reset the anchor with new line. We had a great crew today. We worked into darkness to bring the songs to the website, but couldnʻt finish the job. Weʻll continue work this week. Anna Kim took some great pictures weʻll share later. Please stay tuned.

We try again tomorrow....weather permitting

2009-01-24T19:02:00.002-10:00

We're ready to go. I finally have a better understanding of why our "aqua-acoustic" pool was not replicating our test audio music accurately. My friend Karl, who produces sound tracks for Sony Motion Pictures, explained that the round chamber produces "spiderwebbing" as the acoustic signal bounces "all over the place." A smaller chamber actually produces a more authentic test. The end result will be how good (and authentic) the whale songs sound. We hope we will all get to witness this tomorrow afternoon. Stay tuned! Thanks Karl!!!

We launch tomorrow morning if the weather is favorable

2009-01-23T00:56:00.002-10:00

One of our younger volunteers, Nari, is shown testing the buoy system which includes the dish antenna, receiver and audio amplifier for the shore side of the operation. Note the "accoustic pool" we have been using to simulate the ocean environment. Everything is working well and we hope to launch in the morning if the weather is good.
The "shaka" is a Hawaiian greeting. Obama used it to wave to the Punahou band at the Inauguration Parade. We use it to say Aloha and stay tuned for live whale songs soon!!!!

Inching closer to the launch ramp

2009-01-18T10:18:00.006-10:00

We have been fine tuning the hydrophone and running some tests. The weather has cleared, after closing schools and government offices this week, but our launch boat is broken. We are looking for a boat and hoping to set a launch date for midweek. Pictured here (l to r) are Shelly, our diver and anchorwoman, Leanna, who is a boat captain and environmental educator on Maui and in Santa Fe, Sher, a Whalesong Board member. Leanna talks about our project to visitors when she takes them out into the ocean. I thank each of these fine women for their help, inspiration and support of the project.

And I want to thank BJB Charitable Trust for their substantial financial support of the project. The economic situation is a challenge for our project, as it has been for many. Each of you out there who has sent money has our deep gratitude. We have been running on $5,000 to $15,000 per year, all volunteers, no salaries......all costs above what comes in are carried by me and our other volunteers. We would very much like to move this project substantially forward, and that is going to require us focusing some time on fund raising. The buoy is the first priority so we are going on credit cards until she is working.

I also want to welcome President Obama. We look forward to working with him to keep the oceans healthy.

I've been very uncomfortable in many ways with our outgoing president, but I want to thank him for creating and providing protection to Papahānaumokuākea, the Northwest Hawaiian Islands National Marine Monument, and adding three other National Marine Monuments in recent days. Mahalo, George Bush, for these important gifts to the world. I hope Democrats and Republicans can now work together and with other world leaders to create the peace, stability, awareness, and proactive programs required to further protect our precious oceans.

We Keep Getting Closer

2009-01-13T21:48:00.002-10:00

Aloha everyone! I have a friend from the film/music industry coming by tomorrow to do a sound check with me on the system. We have an aqueous sound chamber set up, and everything seems to be working pretty darn well. Our launch boat is in the shop, so if you know anyone with a boat who would like to help launch please let us know. Stay tuned. Thanks for your patience. Much aloha, Dan

Happy New Year!!! (The buoy is doing better)

2008-12-31T17:11:00.003-10:00

Well, a lot of people are wondering why the buoy isnʻt webcasting this yearʻs whale songs yet. She was working and looking great a week and a half ago. Well, the ocean has taken a toll on some of the electronics and things that were working became intermittent or quit working as we tested. The testing is important because itʻs really hard to fix things out in the ocean, and itʻs not easy to bring her in. We have been giving her a lot of TLC, and we are grateful for the launch crew who has been standing by faithfully. We wanted her in the water by Christmas. We worked some late nights through the holidays, and I got a cold...and that is slowing the launch date right now. Pictured in this post are Shelly Stevens, our anchorwoman, with the line that will tether the buoy, me testing the electronics, the audio section of the buoy being repaired on my kitchen table on Christmas day, Pualani Cabral and Samual David with the buoy, parts, etc.

Expect her to be working very early in the New Year. And please take good care of your precious selves and our precious planet. Aloha, Dan

Happy Holidays! (The buoy is almost ready)

2008-12-25T13:51:00.008-10:00

We have been working through the holidays to get Hōkūmoanalani back in the ocean. We had some unexpected issues with the audio and radio components of the system. As of last night, I think all issues are resolved except putting it all back together. I am trying to restrain myself from working too much on Christmas day, but some progress is being made. I hope we will have her back in the ocean as early as this weekend, after a little more testing. It's tough to service her in the ocean, so we hope to have everything working well enough to last the whole season.

Thanks to every one who has helped refurbish her. She's looking good! Pictured here are Pualani Trisha Cabral, who has put major time into the project this year, and Shawn Ardoin, our artist. Shawn has added a playful touch to Hōkūmoanalani this year. Shawn's art is featured in galleries in Hana and Paia, Maui, Honolulu, and Tahiti. Thank you Trisha and Shawn, and special thanks to Samuel David, who did a lot of heavy lifting, electrical wiring and painting this year, and is pictured in my last post. Samuel's CD of whale music is just being released. He and his partner Amber are donating some money from each CD sold to The Whalesong Project.

Much aloha to all of our friends out there,

Dan

Entering a New Season

2008-11-14T11:23:00.005-10:00

We are entering a new whale season, and optimistic that our new President and Congress will move America in a direction that is healthier for America and the World. In recognition of the fact that what happens on land affects the health of the oceans, we are working on some initiatives related to clean energy and sustainability we will share with you as this season progresses.

You can see from these photos that we are on the move and working on getting Hōkūmoanalani back in the ocean. Samuel David (blue shirt) and Gerhardt (in blue jeans, a visiting volunteer from Germany) opened her up for inspection. Sheʻs looking good inside, and Samuel has given her a first coat of paint. I put a microphone in the ocean yesterday and heard a lone distant whale singing.

We are saddened by news of the Supreme Court decision on Navy sonar use, which we feel is unbalanced. I want to repeat that we at The Whalesong Project believe that national security is important, AND that national security depends on a healthy environment and healthy relations with other nations on the planet we share. We feel more emphasis should be placed on international cooperation to protect the environment and to reduce the need to use dangerous technologies that are harmful to the whales and other sea life. I met recently with Senator Daniel Inouye, and again expressed to him these concerns, and reminded him of the need to fully investigate whether sonar use is related to the recent whale strandings in Hawaiʻi.

We are grateful to be here, amazingly, for our ninth season of bringing the live songs of Mauiʻs Kohola (humpback whales) to the world. Thanks to all of you who help make this possible with your contributions of money, time, wisdom.

These photos were taken by Anna Kim. Thanks Anna!

Sonar Issue goes to the Supreme Court

2008-10-06T21:56:00.003-10:00

This Wednesday the Supreme Court will hear presentations from the U.S. Navy and NRDC over the Navyʻs use of sonar off of Southern California. It is an issue that involves national security and the health of cetaceans and the ocean itself. Read more here.

Markus and Silke, of Whalesong Germany, have been visiting California. We were able to spend some precious time together. They are really wonderful friends, and care deeply about the worldʻs oceans and the future of the planet for our children. They have redesigned the website for this season, and it looks really good. Stay tuned to see improvenments as the season progresses. I am attaching a picture of Markus, Silke and their beautiful son Samuel.

The first whale of the season has been spotted off of Molokini. We will be working diligently to get the buoy back in the water as early as possible this year. Thanks to all of you who help to make this all work.

Science Journal reports ocean dead zones growing

2008-08-16T15:27:00.003-10:00

Our friend and Whalesong Project contributor, Katie Grove-Velasquez, just sent a report from Underwater Times with a summary of an August 15 Science journal article about the growing ocean dead zones, which are referred to as the "key stressor on marine ecosystems." Once again we see, as the ancient Hawaiians and other cultures did, that the things we do on land are reflected in the health of the oceans. We seem to need to make a lifestyle change towards sustainable agriculture, transportation, energy production fairly rapidly. From Hong Kong, I wish you all a good day.

Queen of Thailand advocates environmental protection

2008-08-15T16:05:00.003-10:00

Here in Thailand, I am grateful to see positive action to protect the environment. The main plaza downtown is showcasing environmental issues and solutions in a large photographic story board that covers almost two blocks. A group called "Green World" paraded through town yesterday encouraging people to protect the environment. The Queen Mother of Thailand, on her birthday, encouraged people to "love each other and take care of the environment." Read more. She is especially concerned about "water and the forests." The ocean has been the focus of The Whalesong Project, but we know that what people do on land affects life in the ocean, and it's good to see people caring.

Perspectives from 30,000 feet

2008-08-01T22:45:00.002-10:00

I'm writing from the upper deck of a jumbo jet overlooking vast ocean as I write. It's a different perspective on the world from up here. I am heading to Asia to work on a couple of projects.

It was hard to leave Maui...it's always hard to leave my home there....but particularly hard to leave while the mystery of the whale who died recently on Molokai is unfolding. An article in yesterday's Maui News describes the incident. I'm not confident that the cause will be fully investigated in an impartial way.

I don't want to harp on the bad news too much. Here's some good news: Japan, where I am heading, is making major commitments to creating green belts, to solar and wind technologies for generating electricity. China, where I will be soon, is investing in electric cars and wind energy systems. I picked up a Forbes Magazine at the airport and most of the issue is dedicated to green technologies from electric cars to solar panels. The Wall Street Journal says that some of the major obstacles to fuel cell technologies are being addressed successfully. Maybe we can turn things around if good news keeps coming in like this.

The view of America, as seen by the rest of the world, is a bit disturbing. With Guantanamo Bay, lack of action on global warming, etc., they seem to think we have lost our way. One whale lost its way last week and I hope we can find out if it is a result of our human actions.

Whale stranding on Molokai - Navy sonar related?

2008-07-30T17:29:00.002-10:00

A rare deep water beaked whale showed up on the island of Molokai during annual Navy RIMPAC exercises. A UPI story says the 2,500 lb. Cuvier's beaked whale was euthanized after repeatedly beaching itself. A press release from Earthjustice describes the incident and some background information. A fresh press release from Earthjustice, not yet published on their website, quotes Colin Crosby of Kihei, Maui, as saying that he and friends heard sonar in the water on Molokai the day before the stranding, at levels high enough that it could be heard out of the water.

Ocean News, and System Status Report

2008-07-08T10:51:00.003-10:00

We have brought Hokumoanalani, our buoy, back to shore for repairs and restoration. She will be a part time project for the next several months as we prepare for our ninth season of webcasting the live songs of our Kohola, Hawaiian Humpback Whales.

University of Hawai'i Researchers have discovered some "uncomfortable information." They published findings in the July 4 issue of Science Magazine, warning that "...besides loading the atmosphere with heat-trapping greenhouse gases, human emissions of carbon dioxide have also begun to alter the chemistry of the ocean -- the so-called cradle of life on Earth." The impacts could be significant. Read the full article.

Here's hoping you are all reducing your carbon footprint, taking care of your local environment, and enjoying the season wherever you are.

Aloha from Maui, Dan

Acknowledging the end of a season

2008-05-14T15:34:00.002-10:00

I just switched the webcast over to an archived recording from earlier this season. It's been almost two weeks since I heard the last song of a lone whale out there. Most have headed north. There are still occasional sightings.

In the interest of preserving our equipment for next season, I am removing the webcasting computer from the hot, dusty alcove where it has served us well this season. Next the buoy will come out of the ocean for maintenance, repairs and upgrades. We will be bringing a webcam online as soon as time permits, so we will be ready with it for next season.

Thank you to everyone who made this season possible. There were some great songs again this season, and some good adventure. We enjoyed meeting all of you who showed up to participate and visit us during this beautiful season. Take good care. Aloha to all.

Whales still singing

2008-04-29T09:34:00.002-10:00

We can still hear whales singing in the distance here. I want to thank everyone who made this season possible for our project - those of you who volunteered at events, helped paint and repair the buoy, those of you who donated money. As we wish aloha to the whales on their departure to northern waters, we are already planning for next season. We plan website improvements, more class room interactions, a webcam to view the buoy and whales. We also plan to be in the water earlier next season. It's a lot of work, but it is a labor of love by a group of people who care about the oceans and want to do something to raise awareness about their importance. Thank you for supporting us!

What is Hawaiiana, pono, aloha?

2008-04-23T23:27:00.002-10:00

Our dear friend and Whalesong Project co-founder, Nona Beamer, continues to be close to our hearts and thoughts here in Hawai'i and beyond. For those of you that didn't get a chance to meet Nona, I highly recommend this video, posted on youtube, from a Hawai'i Public TV interview recently. It really shows the woman we love and cherish, and the wisdom that she shared with the world.

Thanks for listening.

What does the whale song mean?

2008-04-23T07:34:00.003-10:00

I get this question all of the time and for some reason people think I might know the answer, just because I've listened for so long. Being basically distrustful of "experts" myself, I have a hesitancy to assume that role myself....especially given the mystery that surrounds the whales and their singing. Research scientists who have spent much more time than I studying whales don't have answers to the questions people ask me at events like Earth Day last weekend.

Psychologists like Dr. Arlette Alexander, who volunteers with The Whalesong Project, point out the tendency of humans to "project" their own conditioned view of the world, childhood family dynamics, etc. - onto the whales or anything else in their lives. She says if someone had a dysfunctional family relationship, for instance, they might think the whales sound like they are arguing. How can we step back from our own stress, trauma, conditioning, and listen to the song? There's a challenge in itself.

Scientists also warn us of the human tendency towards anthropomorphism. The dictionary says this is the "attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena." Dangerous territory indeed.

Some cultural and spiritual practitioners tell us that the whale songs are vibrational, intended to create healing energy for the planet. Are they projecting, or is there truth to this?

To me, it's all fun and interesting to think about. And in the spirit of playful speculation, I present a human interpreted, possibly (probably) anthropomorphised, translation of one verse of this year's song:

How long?
How long?
Must we sing this song?
Before the humans can hear?
That there's truth to the notion
That we must have healthy oceans
Or life on land could disappear
Yes, life on land could disappear

As reports continue to come in of glacial melting, rising CO2 levels in the atmoshpere, ocean pollution issues, air quality diminishing to dangerous levels in some parts of the world, lack of political will to address these problems - I ponder my song. Am I projecting my own fears? Or do we really need to do something rapidly to have a harmonious, healthy family here on the planet - for us and future for future generations? Can we preserve the beauty of this planet that has abundant potential and resources for us to enjoy, if we take care of her? These questions are almost as large for me as "what does the whale song mean?"

Aloha kakou,

Ka'ili

Whale songs are live again - the buoy is working

2008-04-17T13:51:00.004-10:00

There are still a few whales singing out there, and when they are singing it's a little easier to hear the nuances of each singer....as compared to when there are hundreds of whales singing at once. I want to welcome my family who is arriving this coming week from the mainland and Australia. My mother, June Sythe, is a board member of The Whalesong Project, and my family, including Australian cousins, are contributors and co-creators of this project. Thank you, family, for the support these past eight years! The happy occasion will be the marriage of my niece, Elena, to Shep, a bright and wonderful Maui Boy. We are wishing them great happiness.

Mahalo again to Robert Bonifacio for assisting in the repair mission.

More on Nona Beamer

2008-04-15T14:34:00.007-10:00

As mentioned in an earlier post, our founding board member and my close personal friend and mentor, Nona Kapuailohiamanonokalani Beamer, passed to another realm this last Thursday. For the seemingly thousands of friends and students and admirers of her, all across the planet, this is a time of grief...and a time of remembering the beautiful radiant woman that she was, who lived aloha daily throughout her life. Her son, Keola, has posted a beautiful update about Nona on his website at www.keolabeamer.com. Nona's daughter Maile has posted an update on her website for The Hula Preservation Society. When you access the Hula Preservation Website you will hear an 'oli, a Hawaiian chant, done by "Aunty Nona." The Hula Preservation Society is a project created by Nona and Maile, and a project deserving support from the public. Maile continues to serve on our board of directors, and I look forward to working with Maile, Keola, Moana and their 'ohana to embody Nona's caring and devotion to Hawaiiana and aloha in the work of our organization. Aloha from all of us at The Whalesong Project to Keola and to Maile, and the entire Beamer 'ohana, and all of Nona's relations.

Aloha kakou, Ka'ili

Aloha 'aina - as above so below

2008-04-14T08:21:00.006-10:00

Aloha 'aina is an ancient Hawaiian value - the love of the 'aina, the land, the sea, everything around us that sustains and nourishes us. Practicing aloha 'aina means recognizing its intrinsic value and taking care of it. It goes deeper than that actually - Hawaiians felt that the 'aina has sacred qualities beyond just the practical value of the food it provides.

Captain Cook, upon visiting Hawai'i, called the Hawaiians the "worlds greatest ecologists." The ahapua'a system of ancient Hawai'i recognized the connection between what happens on the land, from the top of the highest mountain, and the reef and ocean world below. There were strict rules, kapu, to protect the entire ecosystem. Taro, kalo, the main staple of the Hawaiian diet, was grown in wet shallow ponds, lo'i, fed by mountain streams. These lo'i kalo also created a percolation effect that replenished the delicate aquifer that provides sustainable fresh water. They also filtered the water and created nourishment that created a healthy environment in the ocean reef ecosystem. Careful observation of nature over time allowed refinement of this system. Watch Calvin Hoe speak about this beautiful system of caring for the land while nourishing people.

Things are out of balance today, and we as a world society are not paying careful attention to what we do above or below the ocean. This CNN video shows how this is affecting the world's oceans, and in turn affecting our physical health and well being as human beings.

Getting back to Hawaiian values, it is pretty clear to me that there is tremendous wisdom that could be applied to making life on this planet not only livable and sustainable, but healthy...by practicing aloha 'aina. But are we listening? Or are Hawaiian voices like the voices of the whales and natural world, difficult to hear above the roar of modern civilization and progress? One would think that their voices would be heard here in Hawai'i.

An article in Sunday's Maui News, Crying for Water, highlights the plight of East Maui's kalo farmers. Their water has been taken away to support sugar cane farming and development elsewhere on Maui by Alexander Baldwin and Company. They struggle to adapt and their way of life has been threatened. They call it cultural genocide. They have been waiting for a hearing on their problem for seven years. A member of Alexander Baldwin Company is on the water board. The Honolulu Advertiser Sunday edition reports the CEO of Alexander Baldwin was paid over $15 million dollars while the Hawaiian farmers struggle. The photos in these stories say a lot. He is smiling, they are not. Is this aloha? Is this aloha 'aina? I don't think so.

And I have to ask myself what am I doing to perpetuate aloha, aloha 'aina? I drive a car, I use electricity, I'm living on land that used to belong to Hawaiians. How can I honor this culture and malama (take care of) the 'aina in better ways each day? Can I remember to take reusable bags to the store, send less plastic to the land fill, put solar panels on my house?

Hawai'i has much wisdom to offer the world if we listen and practice aloha, whether it is to the 'aina, the oceans, or just daily kindness to other human beings. Aloha kakou! Take care.

A great sage passes

2008-04-11T12:02:00.002-10:00

It is a difficult time here for me and many people in Hawai'i as news reaches us of the passing of "Auntie Nona" Kapuailohiamanonokalani Desha Beamer. Nona was a founding board member of The Whalesong Project, and a close personal friend and mentor of mine. My love for her goes very deep. A short synopsis of her life "Islands have lost more than an auntie" in todays Honolulu Advertiser also features a video clip of one of her last public interviews on PBS Hawai'i. Nona has been a lifelong educator and activist. She was a Kumu Hula, teacher (and dancer) of traditional and modern Hawaiian Hula, for most of her long life. She was consulted by world leaders, a friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, a collaborator with Pete Seeger, a representative of the Hawaiian People to the Dalai Lama this year. She has stood up to presidents and congress people to address injustices. Of ancient ties to royal lineages, she never spoke of this. She always practiced aloha, kindness, humility. A dark cloud and light rain hang over Maui today. We send our love to the Beamer 'ohana.

Status Report and more on climate change

2008-04-07T09:31:00.002-10:00

We are still playing recorded whale songs until the hydrophone can be repaired, and I hope that can be soon. CNN/Time is running a story today on the health effects of climate change. The World Health Organization, American Public Health Association, and others are working to create awareness of the public health implications. It's not just rising ocean levels, melting ice caps, warmer temperatures. Read more if you are interested.

Dolphin Bubble Rings, Oceans, Hawai'i

2008-04-04T08:55:00.006-10:00

Broadening the conversation a bit - Pamela Melenani Polland sent me this very fun and playful video link of dolphins playing with bubble rings. Mahalo e Melenani!

Katie Grove-Velasques sent this link to the UN Oceans Atlas project. It has great information on ocean ecology. The organization is elsewhere pointing out the problems of "desertification" of certain parts of the ocean due to acidification from carbon dioxide.

Two airlines serving Hawai'i went bankrupt this week, leaving many looking for other ways to get home to Hawai'i, or back to their homes from Hawai'i. The cost of fuel and living continue to get higher here, leaving many local people in a tight squeeze. For the many prosperous people who buy increasingly expensive homes in gated communities here, it is not a problem. Local people, Hawaiians who have lived here for generations and have lost land and culture in ways that were not just, continue to be squeezed.

Hydrophone status

2008-04-04T00:18:00.003-10:00

We had a major power outage with high winds yesterday. A trip to repair the buoy is being delayed until a window emerges for a team and good weather combined to make the trip out there. We hope to have live whale songs playing again by Saturday morning.

Status Report and more on Navy Sonar

2008-03-31T21:58:00.002-10:00

We are still playing a recording of this season's whale songs. Sea conditions did not allow a repair trip today, and work load demands will likely delay repairs until sometime Wednesday. An article in today's Navy Times describes the tension between the Navy, the courts and environmental groups arguing for protection of the 26 some species of marine mammals in Hawai'i's waters. I can't help thinking there has to be a solution that ensures safety of our fleet and nation, while protecting the ocean environment. Technology, politics, diplomacy, arms control agreements can all play a part. Any bright ideas out there? Please comment. Aloha, Dan

Hydrophone problem

2008-03-31T09:34:00.002-10:00

The feed from Hokumoanalani was mysteriously quiet early today, and then got very noisy. There's a problem out there in the ocean, and I won't be able to look at it until this afternoon. I'm putting on a recording made earlier this season until the problem is fixed.

Quiet Hydrophone this morning

2008-03-31T08:39:00.001-10:00

Lots of whales were singing last night into the early morning hours. This morning is mysteriously quiet, and a trip to the buoy will probably be required to see/hear what's going on out there.

Something Positive on a Sunday Morning

2008-03-30T09:59:00.002-10:00

Maybe you got the same email from Al Gore, but if you didn't he's created an organization called We Can Solve It to address global warming. The effects of global warming on whales and the oceans in general are debatable, but most observers agree it is going to make the world look very different if we don't do something. Doing something seems important anyway because we are eventually going to run out of oil. So we might as well do something now rather than later. Here's a link to Al Gore's website where you can sign a petition and receive more information. The whale are still singing energetically this Maui morning. Occasionally I am losing the feed as we exceed our maximum number of listeners. We are looking into adding streams. Much aloha to everyone out there who is listening and reading this. Take good care.

Whale's numbers are thinning, but still singing

2008-03-28T07:50:00.002-10:00

People on the ocean are reporting less whales, as the annual migration to northern waters progresses. However, we are still hearing lots of singing on the hydrophone. A problem was reported on the paypal donation button on our home page. The problem has been fixed. We are well on the way to raising the $10,000 minimum it takes to keep this project alive. I'd like to raise $100,000 this year, so we can move forward on other projects including curriculum materials for schools, and outreach to the international education community. We want children who have never even seen the oceans to have a chance to connect with them and to appreciate their importance for a healthy planet. Of course we'd like to reach adults as well. I'm afraid with the ice caps melting (and other problems on the planet) that I'm not sure if we have, as a world society, learned to be responsible adults yet. Action is needed more rapidly than governments are responding. What can we do? I ask myself that question all of the time (exasperated). One of my favorite sources of information and positive ideas come from David Suzuki. You might want to check out his web page. Aloha to all. Have a great weekend.

Dolphin and Whale Ineraction

2008-03-27T08:58:00.004-10:00

Many of us here in Hawai'i have witnessed interactions between dolphins and whales. Often we see dolphins with mother and baby whales, especially around the time of birth. People speculate that the dolphins may be there to protect the baby whale, or to assist in some way. I don't know if there is really any way to have definitive insights about these behaviors. But there appears to be interaction and what could be interpreted as protective behavior.

We do know that dolphins have the ability to visualize, through use of their "sonar" and large brains, images of objects in the water. Dolphins are known to either sense or "see" when human women are pregnant, and display protective behaviors around them.

I'm thinking about these things as I watch a YouTube video sent to me by my sister, Laurie Praskin. This TV clip describes a dolphin in Aotearoa (New Zealand) saving two stranded whales. If you watch this you can see that it's not a stretch of the imagination to deduce that there are acts of compassion and cooperation in the cetacean world - between species. You'll also see the dolphin playing with children at the beach. Here's the clip. Thanks, Laurie!