Sad news: 5 beached whales on Utila

[rmarrash]

The week prior to this incident when we were diving off of AKR, we did hear a Sub's engines on a few of the dives. It was very loud and you could see no boats overhead so who knows what the distance was.

There was a report on the news that Sonar can disturb marine life. With the upcoming Russian excercise it is possible some of the activities were in prep for that.

Given the intelligence of these animals it is conceivable that if a constant blaring noise was knocking you senseless, you would do what you could to stop it. Getting out of the water in their case.

Russell

 

[itsjustme0770]

With all due respect, if you heard a sub's engines, it had to have been a very old and obsolete model being run by a third world navy (and I doubt that you heard them even then). Submarines, especially those in today's navies are specifically designed to run completely silent. Submarines are detected generally by passively listening, hence the need for running silent. A modern US nuclear submarine could pass right under you probably wouldn't know it. As for active sonar, it is typically the case that this is engaged when you suspect the presence of a submarine or a submarine is confirming range to target. The rare exceptions to this are when a navy is attempting to clear a harbor in advance of a major sortee. For example, the US navy will ping actively when carriers sortee from pearl harbor. This is done to ensure that no submarine is laying in wait for the carrier to pass.

From discussing the incident with so folks on Utila, it appears that at least one of the Whales, reportedly the mother, was diseased, which may have led her to beach herself, and being followed by the rest.

Nevertheless, it is indeed a tragedy and I think we can all agree on that.

 

[rmarrash]

No offense taken.

I understand the difference between a diesel sub and Nuclear . I should have clarified that the Sub possibility I was referring to was the Venezuelan Fleets subs, not the Russians

They own two Diesel Electric subs and it would be reaonsable to expect that they would be headed to the joint excercise since Russia is sending Anti-Sub ships to the excercise as well. While they would be fairly quiet while running on electric, their deisel motors would be rather noisy.

It is possible that it was a suface ship but none were visible in the area and the sound was way too loud underwater to be any smaller type ships. Since I have no visible evidence I fully admit I could be wrong


Thanks
Russell

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi All

Yes, it is a possibility about submarines but I think something that is more likely is that for a long time there has been a hypothesis about earthquakes effecting certain whales, and there was a small earthquake under the ocean not that far from the Bay Islands a few days before the beaching, this could even explain the condition of one of the whales, if it had effected him so badly that he could not feed or dive, there can be many other reason this is just one thought on the matter that some scientists have, remember there are lots of records of beachings well before submarines were invented.

 

[rmarrash]

true. There were actually 2 Earthquakes that week. One was about 3am and the other was in the morning midweek.

 

[cocoloca]

The two earthquakes that I felt happened at 3.30am on Sunday morning and then later on in the day at 9.30am another much smaller one.

 

[itsjustme0770]

Russell,

Re-read my post and it may have come off harshly. Certainly wasn't intended that way.

Everything is possible, eh?


Cheers and safe diving.

[edited to change "of" to "off"]

 

[DeepBlueResort]

Hi

Remember like all the others this is only a theory, a possibility of what may effect Whales.

 

[rmarrash]

itsjustme, did not seem harsh at all

Cocoloca, yup those were the two earthquakes. I was awake for the 3am one. IT was about the shortest quake I think I have ever felt...

You know... sometimes I wonder (and this is somewat serious) if there are Jim Jones type animals that basically have all the other animals follow them into a situation they can not get out of. These are very intelligent animals so presumbly they realize what they are doing

Russell

 

[UTLgirl]

Interesting RE: the Earthquakes. I'm off island right now & wasn't aware of them. Only commented RE: sonar because most of Nic's navy is old Russian models aquired in the late 70's, early 80's (which probably makes them 10-20yrs older). Had just read an article about the negotiations to replace them.

When I think about it, the Earthquake theory makes a great deal of sense. I know of one we had north of us when we had divers in the water in Roatan a few years back & the group commented on feeling vibration/compression. It wasn't a very strong one on the surface, shook things on the walls etc, but it did make the currents go whonky for about 8 hours. Never underestimate Mother Nature.