Rob Moir, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Ocean River Institute will talk about a new national park area in the Atlantic Ocean off the edge of the continental shelf beginning about 140 miles southeast of Nantucket, the NE Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.  Rob has been out to the canyons three times and each time encountered sperm whales.  The first whale found on the last trip was dead from a ship strike.  Discover what you may do as a Deep Sea Canyon Ranger to reduce the killing of sperm whales off of New England.  Further offshore, rising thousands of feet up from the Sohm Abyssal Plain stand four seamounts.  The seamounts have been targeted for the mining of rare earth mineral to make the high tech metals needed for the best solar cells and computer chips. Catch a glimpse of coldwater corals and unique assemblages of animals living below the reach of light on Bear Seamount (3,615 ft) (Mt Monadnock is 3,165 ft), Retriever Seamount (5,967), Physalia Seamount (6,062 ft) and Mytilus Seamount (7,444 ft) (Mt Washington is 6,288 ft).  Seamount Guardians are looking for a few more intrepid mariners.  Free event with light refreshment.

Rob talks about sperm whales in our newest national park area in a one minute video.

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center tel 561 544-8606