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Gray Whale Encounter at Goleta Beach, CA-Stu

A gray whale and her calf migrate north along the California coast on their way to summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. Photo: NOAA

I was hoping only for calm conditions to go out on my stand-up paddleboard as I pulled into the parking lot next to the pier at Goleta Beach, Ca. one morning last March.  The giant telltale puff of steam less than 100 yards offshore immediately followed by a smaller, more delicate blast told me all I needed to know: Whales!  This was spring and so I was already pretty sure that they were gray whales.  Yet so close to the beach…

I have never entered the water so fast and as I paddled out I was sure that I’d missed them.  I decided to slow myself and put out a calm vibe; something that has worked well for me when approaching marine mammals on a paddleboard or kayak in the past as they seem to pick up on how we are feeling and will avoid an over-eager paddler thrashing towards them.  The fronds of the kelp bed that parallels the beach at this spot swayed lazily on the surface of the glassy water in the small swell as I paddled on.  

Distracted momentarily by fish darting from the shadow of my passing board, I was surprised by a sudden whoosh of air very close by.  The water that had sat on the whale’s blowhole was vaporized from the rushing air leaving a sparkling mist that rainbowed towards me in the early morning sun not 50 yards away.  I could see the mottled patterns on the skin of the whale caused by colonies of barnacles and parasites as it turned towards me and slid regally beneath the water.  A much smaller head popped up and I saw the tiny spout clearly as this very young calf took a quick breath and hurried after mom staying tucked in close to her side.

I found myself holding my breath as both whales swam gently under my paddleboard.  With barely a ripple, their silver-spotted shadows slid under and passed behind me.  The size of these visitors made me feel very small and vulnerable.  For a moment it seemed as if a reef or submarine was moving under me.  Pivoting my board so that I could face them once more, I was rewarded with yet another spout cycle as they logged serenely on the surface a few dozen yards away.  Then, as I watched, the 45 foot long mother followed by her little 15-20 foot long calf turned towards open water and with an arch of the back slid under and away from me.  I stood on my board breathing fast and watched them as they headed out and west on a line that would take them past the pier and eventually out towards Point Conception and the next leg of their long journey towards Alaska and the cold Bering and Chuckchi seas thousands of miles away.  I wished them safe passage knowing how difficult the journey can be.

Whalers in the 18th and 19th centuries called gray whales Devil Fish on account of their fierce and desperate attempts to protect their young and each other from the plunging harpoons.  Many a whaler met their end from the thrashing tail of a gray whale as they pursued these magnificent creatures in small row boats.  Sadly, the whales were the real victims; their numbers decimated by man’s desire for oil and baleen as hunting methods improved including explosive-tipped harpoons in the mid-20th century.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states that the Eastern Pacific gray whale population is now a fifth of what it was pre-whaling.  Thankfully, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of the 1970’s and the moratorium on commercial whaling in the mid-1980’s by the International Whaling Commission has brought the gray whales back from the brink of extinction.  Although their numbers are still much lower than they should be, the Eastern Pacific gray whales were removed from the Endangered Species List in 1994.  Not so the Western Pacific gray whales which migrate past Russia and Japan whose total population is estimated at less that 300 individual whales.

Each fall when the waters of the far north become colder (is that even possible?) Eastern Pacific gray whales travel south from the Bering and Chuckchi seas following the North American coastline until they reach the welcoming warm waters of Baja, Mexico where they spend the winter months breeding or giving birth.  The females and calves are renown as being friendly and will approach small boats and even allow themselves to be touched.  

As spring approaches, the whales begin to migrate back north in order to feed in the rich, frigid waters from which they came months before.  This migration is estimated to be 10,000 miles long in total and is fraught with danger.  Many females give birth either on the journey or down in Mexico and have to run the gambit of predators such as great white sharks and orcas, as well as avoiding boat and ship collisions, abandoned fishing nets, and pollution (water and sound).  Amazingly, even though the mothers are fasting, each day they manage to feed their young about 50 gallons of a 50% fat calorie dense milk, almost the consistency of yoghurt which encourages the rapid growth of protective blubber.  Imagine gaining about 60 pounds of weight each day…Sadly, although now protected, the ocean is still a harsh place and not all whales make it through the annual migration safely.  Yet, gray whales, especially the mothers, do whatever they can to keep their young alive and one such strategy-staying in very shallow water, brought this particular pair to my favorite place to paddle.

Over the next few days, my wife and I saw several pairs and small groups of whales slowly make their way past our little stretch of coastline.  Mostly less than a couple of hundred yards from the beach, from our vantage point on the bluffs we could watch them for long periods at a time as they took respite in the protected waters and lazily interacted with each other.  I was humbled by getting so close to such calm and wonderful creatures and although something of a cliche, thought that the term, gentle giants was truly apt.  This year, I’m again hopeful of another chance to visit.

Note: The world’s oceans are more than just home to the creatures that live in them-the majority of our atmosphere’s breathable oxygen and carbon dioxide absorption results from the process of photosynthesis by untold numbers of small phyto-plankton floating in the ocean.  This crucial interaction for life on Earth is under threat from climate change while other creatures also struggle with the effects of pollution and commercial fishing.  If you are interested in helping make positive change, below are some resources which may help:

One Green Planet (linked page highlights organizations protecting oceans)

NOAA-Oceans and Coasts

Ways to reduce carbon footprint

Google carbon footprint tracker      Apple carbon footprint tracker

Picture: Phil Loubere
Interacting with an adult gray whale. Photo: Steve Trewella

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The Simple Life-What’s Really Important?-Stu

Cottage on Seurassari Island

There are times when it is good to be reminded of what is truly important and necessary in life, painful though this can be.  As we explored the rustic wooden cottages on beautiful Seurassari Island and Open-Air Museum in Helsinki this weekend, we were all struck by the simplicity of life in bygone eras demonstrated by the spartan interiors lacking many “essentials” we enjoy today.  The fixtures and fittings were basic yet often multi-functional and ingenious. Many of the cottages, brought from various regions all over Finland to be preserved, were very small abodes for peaceful visits to lakesides far from towns and cities. Others were larger multi-generational family log cabins originally homesteads or tenant farms.  All were built by their owners and demonstrated a lifestyle at once both harder and simpler than our often fast-paced modern lives. Docents clad in period clothing explained who had inhabited the buildings and shared some insights of functionality and customs. Many of the homes had multiple generations and in-laws all living together which must have been interesting during the long Finnish winters and the highs and lows of typical human lives.

And yet, the reminder of being close to family never seemed as important to our little four family as we hosted Robyn’s mom these past five days.  Back in California, Robyn’s dad suddenly struggled with a very serious health issue and we came very close to leaving to be by his side. We all lived hour by hour on both sides of the world. Thankfully, family rallied around and Robyn’s dad’s strong will served him well. I’m glad to say that he is now beginning to improve and recover.

Last night we all took time to write down five-ten positive things we’ve noticed or experienced about Finland and put them in a bowl.  This was passed around and we took turns reading out the thoughts of others. We’d decided that we wanted to reflect on what we’d experienced in order to make our life back home both simpler and as meaningful as possible.  This activity was the part of this process, and interestingly, there were not any mentions of things or stuff; it was all about ways of being.  Interactions with people, especially family, friends, and those around us were prominent, as was our relationship with nature.  Personal choices and conduct also featured for us.

For me, the Finns have taught that although they don’t really engage in frivolous surface chit-chat, they really value deeper connections and meaningful interactions with those dear to them.  There is a kindness, patience, and non-judgmental side to their down to earth demeanor that is very refreshing and endearing. Our brush with mortality this weekend while somewhat offset by the close proximity of Robyn’s mom, was a tough but powerful reminder of what is truly important.  I hope that although we will likely not all be living under the same roof (including my family back in England) we can still enjoy deep and valuable connections with each other and those around us while being the highest version of our best selves.

Meg taking photos
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All Aboard-Robyn

Recently I was fortunate to attend the International Seminar on Inclusive Education in Tampere, Finland. This multicultural conference focused on inclusive education through the lens of four participating countries: Norway, Finland, Belgium, and the U.K. These educators have been pursuing innovative strategies to strengthen the competence of their specialized centers that support inclusive education. The project had been created due to the increasing need to share multidisciplinary information on best practices and how to support inclusive education for students with intensive needs. In addition, they created flexible models for the training of staff at expertise centers (segregated sites) and mainstreamed schools, yet also provide services for supporting the implementation of inclusive education.

Initially, when asked to attend this conference, I was intrigued as it was a conference on inclusion, but produced by organizations that oversee segregated sites. Fascinated by the irony of this I knew I had to go. Sure enough, like everything else on this Fulbright journey the learning occurred in several unexpected ways.

Major Takeaways:

  • The organizations that I considered segregated sites are indeed segregated sites. However, these 4 countries perceive these sites as the experts in the field of all things special education. This means they are responsible for trainings and disseminating best practices to each of the schools throughout their country.
  • The term Inclusion in Europe vs. the term Inclusion in the United States are absolutely defined differently (stay tuned as this will definitely be a future post)
  • Prezi is an awesome presentation tool and I can’t wait to use it! https://prezi.com/
  • Everyone throughout the world is trying their best to make inclusion happen for all students. However, the drastic differences in cultures, funding, resources, and knowledge has created variances among how and when it is utilized.
  • Our Goleta USD teams need to be very proud at how well we are implementing evidence-based practices in the least restrictive environment.
  • For me, the list of new knowledge and to do’s continues to grow
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New Things-Liam

This week I have once again tried some new things. On Friday my new found friend and I went to a sauna after swim class. It was interesting to experience the heat that they endure as well as the cold. The sauna helps the body in many ways. For example, I am usually very sore after swim, but I was less sore because the sauna released the tension in my shoulders and lower back. Afterwards, I felt invigorated and glad to have tried that with a friend.

On Saturday, my family went to see a snowboarding event. They had made a course downhill near our house. It had a few jumps and many twists and turns. I stood up on a wall to get a better view. I could see the start and the Finnish (pun intended). All of them were amazing and it was so cool to see such a new sport.

While I am on the topic of snowboarding my sister and I went for our first lesson today. We were amazed to find that it is very similar to surfing. I practiced turning which was just moving your hips and leaning. We also practiced stopping which is very important. By the end I was starting to get the hang of it. When I turned in my board I was incredibly tired.

Well that is all for this week. Good bye.

Our first snowboarding session

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Uncharted Waters Abound!-Robyn

Picture: Flyer from the Multicultural Center-should I sign up?

So many things are new! I came here to learn from the Finnish school system which is obviously new. However, everything around me is new: the weather, the people I work with, the internet, the town, transportation, the customs, the cadence of speech, the space between individuals, the library system, the toilet, the food, the clothes, the culture, the schedule, and of course the language. There are moments of exhilaration with all the new and at times I find I have to tell myself to breathe as I have become overwhelmed. I am naturally an introvert and I have to push myself to meet and greet in order to take advantage of everything new Fulbright and Finland  has to offer. I made a promise to myself that since I have been given this amazing opportunity I must say yes to everything. In addition to all this uncharted newness I am way out of my comfort zone. From sending emails essentially selling myself to people I’ve never met to ask permission to come to their schools, to meeting with heads of University Departments to ask deep-rooted ethical questions about their programs. I’m drinking way too much coffee at each of these meetings not because it’s my drink of choice, but because I haven’t yet figured out how to purchase seltzer water or find the tea that I prefer. Through this uncharted newness I am learning. I am learning so very much about how the Finnish work and I am learning that I have a voice as to how students with disabilities should be educated. I haven’t yet had that much-anticipated “Ah-ha” moment, but I do have faith that it will arrive. My brain just has to synthesize all that has come and continues to come my way.

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Finland-The Devil is in the Details

Finland-The Devil is in the Details

If you’ve ever gone abroad for a long period of time, you will understand how many details there are to take care of before you can actually relax on the plane with a mai-tai. And if you’ve ever had to move out of your house and rent it out while you arrange new housing, visas, and permits you will know exactly how intricate of a dance this can be. As we started to prepare for Finland, our To-Do list started to grow at a quite alarming rate. The moment we decided to rent out our home, the house rebelled and started to begin to fall apart. The garden that had been holding its own against the long standing Southern California drought and invasive weeds, decided to give up the fight, and within one night (or so it seemed) a jungle stood in its place. Our small dog refused to go outside to lift his leg fearing for his life from unseen predators lurking in the bush. Indeed, the very town was threatened by one of the worst wildfires in California history.

Fortunately, we held to our lists. I worked on the house and the yard while Robyn took care of the longer administrative chores. As more information came in from Fulbright, more was checked off and more was added:

-Visiting the Finnish consulate in Los Angeles for Robyn’s resident permit. Check.

-Airline Tickets for the Fulbright Orientation Conference in Washington DC. Check.

-Updating each family member’s passport. Check.

-Researching medical insurance for the duration of the trip. Check.

-Establishing contact with Fulbright “buddy” and host in Finland. Check.

-Finding viable housing in Jyvaskala. Check.

-Sauna desensitization (naked saunaring is the norm, and is apparently a great way for people to spend time together in Finland). Not check.

 

Then, of course there are the details here in Cali we have to take care of:

-Organize leave of absence (me) sabatical (Robyn). Check and denied…

-Finding accredited online school for daughter’s high school classes. Check.

-Landscaping backyard. Check.

-Posting house for rent. Check.

-Sell car. Check.

-Yard sale for extra items. Almost check.

-Pack-up house and store possessions. Soon to be checked.

-Buy warm clothing (In southern California?!) Hopeful check.

-Living on one income to save enough for trip and return until wages kick-in. In progress check.

-Find caretaker for pet dog. Maybe check.

And so it goes! This all sounds like a lot, and it is. Yet it’s kind of like riding a roller coaster: the drop bars are in place, the car has started to climb, and everyone has that silly “why did we do this?” smile on their face with perhaps a slight nervous tick in the corner of the eye. However, when the ride is done you just want to jump back on and do it again. What a great opportunity, and how fun to break out of the usual working rut to remodel your life. Thanks, Fulbright!