Great Lakes Whale Watchers Club

06/23/2025

04/30/2025

It's that time of year again.

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DOLPHIN RETURNS TO NAUBINWAY WHARF; FED PASTIES BY MRS. GUNDERSEN’S KITCHEN

By J.T. Hollowell, Local Correspondent

It is with great marvel and Christian humility that we report the sixth spring arrival of the so-called “Wharf Dolphin,” a most extraordinary creature who has, by God’s curious providence, taken to visiting our humble harbor each May since 1877.

The animal, first espied by young Thomas Braddock near the fish crates on a foggy morning, was soon coaxed closer by the scent of venison pasties from Gundersen’s Shoreline Eatery. Mrs. Gundersen, God bless her, tossed the creature a portion out of pity and was met with a series of joyful clicks and leaps most unbecoming of any common fish.

Year after year, the dolphin—dubbed “Salty” by the schoolchildren—has returned like clockwork, nuzzling the dock planks and accepting his honorary meal with great civility. Some say he bears a scar from a net once hauled in from Charlevoix, though none have proved it.

Of special note, during the blizzard of ’80, Salty was seen nudging a lost rowboat toward shore, its sole occupant—an inebriated trapper—rescued with all limbs intact. For this, the town declared the dolphin an “Honorary Michigander,” a title never before bestowed upon beast or fish.

04/30/2025

People need to know what's really going on with invasive species in the Great Lakes.

Please join us for a powerful film screening of “All Too Clear, Beneath the Surface Of the Great Lakes”; a 90-minute documentary that exposes the profound impact of invasive Quagga mussels on the Great Lakes ecosystem. Canadian filmmakers Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick spent over 150 days capturing breathtaking underwater footage with advanced drones, shedding light on how these tiny invaders are transforming our freshwater environments. This award winning film is causing a lot of buzz for its outstanding cinematography and breathtaking perspective of our water families! It is a truly a must-see film.
This film is extra special to our Fisheries Department, as some staff were able to assist the filmmakers. Fisheries staff were able to share location-specific Traditional Ecological Knowledge, as well as institutional knowledge, to direct and inform filming efforts in Little Traverse Bay. While the film is primarily about the impact of Quagga mussels on the Great Lakes ecosystems, the knowledge LTBB shared became integral to the filming of the first-ever Lake Whitefish spawning event caught on camera. This is incredibly significant to the ongoing research, like what our LTBB Fisheries Department does, for Lake Whitefish.

This event is presented in partnership between LTBB Fisheries Department and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet representatives from both organizations and discuss ongoing conservation efforts.
Don’t miss this opportunity to dive into, and explore, the hidden depths of the Great Lakes. Reserve your free ticket today!

04/01/2025

Great Lakes Whale Migration 2025 Begins on the Old Mission Peninsula

Right on schedule - April 1st - the Great Lakes Whale Migration has begun on the Old Mission Peninsula. And we had a surprise sighting at the "Books at the Boathouse" library fundraiser last night!

https://www.oldmission.net/2025/04/great-lakes-whale-migration-2025/

Right on schedule - April 1st - the Great Lakes Whale Migration has begun on the Old Mission Peninsula. And we had a surprise sighting at the "Books at the Boathouse" library fundraiser last night!

02/25/2025

02/18/2025

Mook and Larry the Clownfish have another song, a sequel to "Get Off My Reef." Larry stopped drinking long enough to record this lick.

Mook(feat. Larry the Clownfish)
"Get Off My Lawn"

02/18/2025

He dreams...

02/14/2025

A humpback whale briefly scooped a kayaker into its mouth off the Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed in an incident caught on camera.

‘I thought I was dead,’ said the kayaker, who was let go by humpback off the Chilean coast after a few seconds

02/09/2025

Fred Rogers was definitely a saint.

Sylvia Earle brought her underwater microphone to Mister Rogers' Neighborhood so children could listen to the fish in the aquarium. When the fish don't make...

02/07/2025

The entire West Coast after WWI was dammed up without a care for ecology. This is wrong and people need to be made aware.

On Jan. 25, 440 UW students and community members gathered in Kane Hall for a screening of the 2021 documentary Coextinction. WashPIRG hosted the event with support from Se’Si’Le, Orca