Welcome to the Monterey Bay Marine Mammal Project!

This project is sponsored by Earthwtach Institute and it is part of a long-term study of marine mammals in California waters. I am really excited to be leading this effort for the next few years and I hope the lessons we will learn in the field will produce results that will proove useful to the management of marine mammal populations around the world and will be a great educational and life changing experience for volunteers participating with our team in this effort.

Our first team fields on 4 August 2006. As we speak, my field assistant Anna is traveling across country from Boston to Monterey Bay to join Sean, another member of the staff, in preparation of the launching of the field season. Peter, my husband and co-investigator, and I will travel to Monterey Bay on 1 August. There is a lot of excitement in the air. Suitcases are being loaded with equipment and books, data from previous years is being cleaned out and arrangements are being made for the care of our pets. Soon we will be there, in the field, with the dolphins and the sea otters, and the other marine life we love so much.

Joining our team will be Daniel from Australia, Carole from Virginia, Lyman from Rhode Island, Claire and Katherine from the United Kingdom and Anita from New York. I bet they are all as excited as I am.