Bryde’s whale
I arrived in Palau in 1994 with all of my worldly possessions stuffed into two duffel luggage. One carried my rafting package from adventures on rivers throughout the US. The opposite was SCUBA gear from my profession of instructing diving and main excursions. With a level in zoology from Oregon State and life mission to assist protect all of the Earth’s creatures, I all the time added as a lot pure historical past instructing to my journeys as rafting and diving friends may endure—and on my Palau Snorkeling and Sea Kayaking journeys with Wilderness Journey, I do the identical!
Paddling with pilot whales
In my new island house, I watched in horror as numerous long-line fishing boats cruised the harbor with illegally caught shark fins overtly frolicked to dry on their bow rails. The sight was greater than I may bear. After exhausting all political and social makes an attempt at eliminating the observe of shark finning, I lastly determined to save lots of the sharks myself! Every single day after work, I led groups of boat captains and fellow dive guides up the edges of shark fishing vessels and eliminated the fins, destroying the catch in waters too deep to get better. This caught the eye of the Discovery Channel, which subsequently aired a particular titled “Predators in Peril.” This worldwide consideration inspired Palau’s management to take steps to curb shark fishing.
Sperm whale trio
Melon-headed whales
Ron Leidich and a sperm whale. Picture by Thomas Beachtold
