So, I am out on the paddleboard this morning at 10th Street, and a spout catches my eye on the outside of the pier. I saw a couple of Humpback Whales in Puerto Rico last week, so my eye was trained to look for them. It turns out that it was a Northern Right Whale mother and calf. I paddled up within about 100 yards, and then the group of 100 or so people on the end of the pier starting screaming at me. It turns out that these whales are endangered (only 400 left on the planet) and there is a FEDERAL LAW prohibiting any person or watercraft coming within 500 yards of them.

I was informed that another paddleboarder was out there taking photos of the whales on Sunday, and fell in the water quite close to them. Supposedly it scare the whales away, and the people on the pier were pissed that he ruined their whale watching experience. So they did not hesitate to call the authorities when I paddled up, and Fish and Wildlife was on the beach within 2 minutes calling me into the beach. Luckily they just wrote me a warning because the fine for the ticket can be VERY expensive.

Here is the law: http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/pr97/feb97/noaa97-r107.html

I was also informed that the St. Johns County Sheriff's Department will have a personal watercraft this summer, and will be patrolling the pier area for violaters of the 400 foot distance for swimmers and surfers. This applies to kiteboarders especially. And they will be patrolling the jet ski area at Matanzas Inlet. So be nice and hopefully everyone can get along.

way to go mr. buzzkill

I bet it was cool to see the whales though

As it turned out, someone decided to write a story for the St. Augustine newspaper about my whale experience. It seems that not only was I too close to the whale, but I paddled out with the deliberate intention of giving the whale a hug:
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/0228 ... 9_23.shtml

Hey Eddie,

Great story and I am glad you just got a warning. Who would of thought that would have been that big of a deal.

Clew In

The discussion after the article is awesome. You're a brain dead moron for trying to touch the whales.

All surfers are brain dead morons. Everyone knows that. I wonder if that extends to kiteboarders as well?

probably.. after all we are the rollerbladers of the ocean

I think the waverunner they're using to patrol prolly has more negative impact on the whales than any surfer, kiter or swimmer ever would. I would hate to be a whale with all those pesky human do gooders following my ass around with a gasoline powered watercraft while I'm just doing my business.
Don't get me wrong I think the whales should be protected but there is no need to overreact. The real threat comes from a boat or fishing nets. 400 yards is a lot considering the fact that if one even gets near shore it pretty much closes everything down along the beach. I really doubt that surfers, swimmers and even kiteboarders pose any real threat to them. Thankfully Eddie received a warning instead of fine. I'm sure the officers understood unlike the fools on the pier that there was no intention of harm and no possible way of inflicting it either. These people sound sorta like the bird people of Jacksonville.

I'd guess the whale people are even more militant than the bird people. Speaking of which, kited Huegenot Park on Saturday and couldn't believe how many birds where there. They could give a rats ass of the kites that were out.

damn whalehuggers...

Up here the Right Whales are shadowed by Great Whites. Seen pics from DNR helicopter of 15+footer feeding on a huge carcass a few years ago.

A fisherman took some pics off SSI of some whales and I was surprised to see how close they were. Wondered if the Great Whites were there also or maybe closer?

LOL