• It was the second week of October I was on the boat with Biologist Ron Leidich, Captain Arson, and a family of three and a long time friend, Bob Gross.
  
• The day was perfect to go out and look for whales; it's like the stars aligned and the water gods said 'go forth and get your whales for the skies are blue, the sun is shining, the sea is glass smooth, and visibility is down to 80 feet', and the tropical breeze was rushing past my body. Captain Arson kicks it in to full speed and East we go.
  
• A couple miles out, not too far, you can still see Palau. We spent about 4 hours looking for these big babies. We almost lost hope 'til Captain Arson's sharp eye spotted them from a distance. You can see 3 to 4 water spouts spraying 10 feet out of the ocean. My heart was pumping and my blood was rushing. Everybody on the boat was pumped. We set the kayaks on the water and paddled to them. As we got closer, to our surprise there were about 13 lady whales. We spent about 3 hours with them which was awesome! But something amazing happened just before we were about to depart. One of the whales came so close to my kayak; my guest Sam and I froze... didn't know what to do but leave our paddles above water. By the time the whale was 5 feet next to us she lifted her  head out of the water and made a sound from her melon sack which is located on the front of her head. The sound was so loud that you can feel the impact on your chest. It sounded like claps. After she free dove 20 feet under our kayaks and turned belly side up to receive the sound she created through her lower jaw. It was amazing! Later on Sam and I found out the whale came that close to us was a mother because it was not only her that came up to see us but even her baby did too. As you look to the photos, you will see.
  

Photo Credits: Ron Leidich

   Father-Son dive buddies Ron & Calvin Leidich were exploring a sunken WWII Japanese Shipwreck on October 30th when they stumbled across an incredible sight.  Calvin tugged hard on his father's fin when he spotted an enormous blob hovering over the deck rail of the shipwreck in 87 feet of water.  The pair cautiously approached a massive Jellyfish Medusa with an exceptional entourage of juvenile fishes.
   The species of Jellyfish Crambione mastigaphora is reported to have an exceptionally painful sting.  That didn't stop Ron from placing a hand on the bell, as he understood all the cnidoblasts (stinging cells) were located on the opposite end.  Much to Ron's surprise, the bell was thick, tough, and leathery.  Of even greater magnitude was the power of this super-medusa, which showed no difficulty in plowing the heavier diver through the water with the rhythmic pulses of its bell.
   The small fish ducking in between the bell and the tentacles appeared to be juvenile jacks.  Much like clownfish, the young jacks possess a mucous coating around the scales which chemically inhibits the firing of the stinging cells.  This affords the otherwise vulnerable fish excellent protection for potential predators.
   The Jellyfish is sometimes called the "Sea Tomato."  In portions of its range, the large Jellyfish does appear to be tomato red.  However in Palau, the bell is covered with a mesh like pattern of Bluish-Purple ridges.  Ron and Calvin had previously encountered this species in the shallows of German Channel and the rock islands of West Ngeruktabel.  This was their first encounter with the monster-medusa at depth.  Calvin has given it the more appropriate name of "Cannon Ball Jellyfish."  The dive buddies are seeking a volunteer to test the toxicity of the poisonous stinging cells, but to date, no one has stepped forward. 

Photo Credits: Ron Leidich

​   In anticipation of an incoming group of international birders, the Paddling Palau team geared up for a practice session of nocturnal bird calling.  The team consisted of Biologist Ron Leidich, Megapode expert Paul Radley, Migratory bird guru Glenn Mckinlay, Sound Tech Jene Persinger, kayak naturalist Macstyl Sasao, & Ron's 11 year old son, Calvin.  The team drove to the end of the road in the sleepy hamlet of Ngesaol, in Koror Palau.  After meager successes on previous nights in other locations, expectations were understandably low.
   The banter and commotion ended abruptly when they heard the first knocking call of the elusive Palauan Nightjar.  Known locally as "Chebacheb," few natives have ever encountered this cryptic beast as they typically remain dormant until dusk.  The species has recently been awarded Endemic status and is now known as Caprimulgus phalaena.
  A rapid fly-over immediately grabbed the group's attention and sent them scrambling for cameras and recording equipment.  Paddling Palau office manager Jene Persinger swung into action and immediately began recording the bizarre calls produced by the nightjars on the wing and while perched.  Satisfied that she'd captured the essence of their vocalizations, she played back the calls over a loud speaker and was immediately rewarded with a response!
   The team sat on edge as the avian & electronic duet battled for center stage.  Though we'll never know what the birds were communicating, the results were obvious.  At least two Nightjars repetitively swooped over head, then landed for a few brief moments.  Calvin Idek Leidich was excited to be on leave from his six grade homework assignments and quickly flooded the jungle with his spotlight.  Spotting the reflection of Nightjar's eyes, he held the beam steady enough for his father to focus his camera on Nightjar's camouflaged flanks.
   Though everyone on the team has spent countless hours exploring, photographing, and observing nature in Palau, no one in the party had ever been so close to the elusive Nightjar.  Satisfied with their recordings, photographs, and existential experience, the team left the Nightjars to go about their bidding, hunting for insects on the wing and gracing the skies of Palau with their alluring calls.

​  Last week Calvin Idek Leidich returned from an epic adventure to the Southern continent of Antarctica.  Calvin joined his father for a three week journey aboard an expedition ship called the National Geographic Explorer.  Their explorations began in Tierra del Fuego National Park, which sits at the Southern tip of South America.  They steamed through the Beagle channel into Drake's passage which is notorious for its vicious winds and 50 foot swells.
   Once Calvin reached the South Shetland Islands they sheltered in calmer waters and explored the islands by zodiac, eventually landing on rocky shores with hundreds of Gentoo Penguins.  They continued on to the Antarctic Peninsula where the Explorer pushed through ice bergs to reach landfalls with predatory Leopard Seals.  Calvin proudly planted the Palauan flag and suspects that he might've been the first Micronesian Islander to reach the Southern Continent.   As they entered the Weddell Sea they found themselves surrounded with dozens of free diving Humpback Whales.  A few hours later the action became even more intense when a pod or Orcas were spotted feasting on Adele's Penguins.  The day ended with leaping Southern Right Whales near the Willis Islands.
   After a week on the Antarctic Peninsula they steamed for South Georgia Island which was once used as a whaling station.  Today the island is colonized by 7000lb Elephant Seals which can hold their breath for over two hours and dive to depths of over 3000 feet.  The Bull Elephant Seals fight for females by smashing against an opponent's body like a Sumo wrestler.  Calvin landed on beaches and was surrounded by swarms of over 200,000 pairs of squawking King Penguins. 
   The final stop of the father-son experience was on the Falkland Islands which have been claimed by Great Britain for centuries.  Wondering Albatross circled overhead with massive wingspans of more than 10 feet.  Magellanic Penguins waddled onto white sandy beaches and scurried into under-ground burrows while Caracara Falcons patrolled the shorelines looking for seafood scraps.  On their final zodiac ride back to the ship they were escorted by a pod of majestic Commerson's Dolphins.
   Calvin has returned to his family, school, judo classes, and SCUBA diving adventures in Palau and is thrilled to be back home again.  Along the way Calvin made new friends, met professional naturalists, and enjoyed the company of National Geographic photographers.  His favorite part of the journey was playing with the inquisitive Fur Seal pups which followed him from beach to beach.   He's now visited all 7 continents and hopes to explore the Indonesian island of Sulawesi with his father later this summer to search for Western Tarsiers and to SCUBA dive in the Lembeh Straits.

​   While working as a boat captain on a recent kayak & camping expedition, photographer Ron Leidich slipped into the forest to look for birds.  While the guests enjoyed breakfast with their guide on beautiful Ngeremdiu Beach Ron was tracking a trio of hungry Megapods.  These  mound nesting "incubator birds" make their living by scratching through the leaf litter in search of insects and fruits.
   Female megapodes lay their eggs inside giant mounds of sand piled up by the hard working male.  The suitor goes one step further by excavating the interior of the mound while and replaces the sand with organic material.  The moist compost heats up within the mound creating a natural incubator for the megapode's eggs.  Upon hatching the youngster digs its way out of the nest chamber and scurries off into the forest with no help from its mother or father.  Typically the young megapodes live a precocial existence, fending for themselves from birth.
   On this day, Ron was hence surprised to see a trio of Megapodes feeding amicably together.  Shooting at distance with a telephoto lens insured that the terrestrial birds remained undisturbed by the presence of a photographer.  Scratching with their enormous feet, the birds kicked up sticks, leaves, and fruits in the hopes of finding juicy insects.  To Ron's surprise, the male Megapode unearthed a massive poisonous centipede.  After a quick toss to the ground "Megapode rex" smashed the Chilipod into pieces before devouring him segment by segment.  The Megapodes moved on in search of other delectables while the photographer retreated with a prize of his own.

By  Paddling Palau Crew & Ron Leidich

   On October 28, 2014, a group of natural history guides from Rock Island Kayak Expeditions went out along the East coast of Palau searching for Sperm Whales & Dolphins.  After searching the 1000 meter drop off without any luck, the group continued out into the open ocean at a distance of over 20 miles from Palau’s reef.

   At 11:30a.m, boat Captain J-5 Obak, spotted two fishing vessels about five miles in the distance.  The team raced out to investigate and quickly determined that they were not vessels licensed in Palau.  Photographers Jayden Twelbang & Ron Leidich began taking photos of the fishing boats and crew.  The vessels attempted to flee the scene, but were quickly overtaken by the faster tour boat.

   The crew was evasive and defensive, furthering suspicion of their illegal activities.  In an effort to lower their defenses our tour guide began throwing them cold sodas and asked them in sign language for some fish.  The Vietnamese fishermen relaxed and handed over a large Leopard Grouper (Plectopomus leopardus).   This came as quite a surprise as we’d assumed they were fishing for offshore tuna.  The presence of a grouper implied that they’ve been sneaking onto Palau’s Reefs at night and illegally bottom fishing. 

   The tour boat returned to Koror shortly after the encounter and reported the vessels’ location to the Marine Law office.  The conservation officers quickly dispatched a patrol boat and apprehended the two vessels.  The Vietnamese boats were taken to the Marine Law port and held in custody.  Sadly, only their navigational equipment was removed from the vessels, and the ships attempted to flee in the middle of the night.  Luckily, they got lost in the labyrinth of islands and could not find an open channel leading out of the lagoon.  They were quickly recaptured on the morning of the 29th.

   Their illegal catch included Grouper, Sea Cucumber, and live Lobster.  The fate of the vessels and the crew has yet to be determined.  In previous cases, the poachers have been repatriated in the country of their origin at the expense of the fishing company or their national government.  The fishing vessels are typically sold back to the offenders or destroyed.  The illegally caught fish are often donated to the Palau National Hospital and the schools.  Fines are frequently imposed on the fishing companies, though they have in the past proven difficult to collect.

By Ron Leidich & Jene Persinger

   The Longman’s Beaked Whale is a member of an elusive family of toothed whales (Odontoceti)  known as Ziphiidae.  There may be 20 or more species within this enigmatic family though their shy nature and deep diving habits make them difficult to observe or photograph.

   The Longman’s Beaked Whale has been known from only two strandings; one off of the Coast of East Africa, the other in Australia.  Marine Biologists have never seen the animal alive… until now.  On May 30, 2014 Biologist Ron Leidich, Professor Ron Crombie, Boat Driver Jake Oiterong, and 9 year old Calvin Idek Leidich were returning to Koror after a successful Geology Field Trip to the Island of Angaur.  The seas were flat calm, so the group departed with the intention of searching for dolphins and whales along the way.  Shortly after arriving off of the Southern Island of Peleliu an unusual silhouette was spotted in the distances sporting a small dorsal fin.  Slowing the boat, Jake eased closer while Ron raced to the bow with a telephoto lens.  The unusual cetacean broke the surface on three occasions, each time exposing its bottlenose-like rostrum. 

   Only a handful of Beaked Whale species reside in temperate waters.  The rostrum shape eliminated the possibility of either Blainville’s or Cuvier’s Beaked Whales.  International experts later confirmed Ron’s suspicions:  These were the first photographs of a living Longman’s Beaked Whale (Indopacetus pacificus) alive!

    The Longman’s Beaked Whale has since been seen on two subsequent adventures.  On August 9, Ron Leidich was photographing a pod of Spotted Dolphins when boat drivers Jake Oiterong and J-5 Obak spotted larger Cetaceans in the distance.  The boat was eased in towards a suspected pod of Pilot Whales.  As we approached, it became obvious that the 25-30’ whales were too large to be any of the “Blackfish.”  Photos and video confirmed their identity as the Longman’s Beaked Whale.  This was the first observation of 3 individuals traveling together, one of which was significantly larger and bearing a back full of scars (likely earned in fights with rival males).

   This brings up exciting possibilities:  Could Palau be home to a resident population of Beaked Whales?  Do our waters support the seasonal gatherings of mating pods?  Is this species more common than previously expected?  Future encounters will be enhanced with the use of kayaks and a hydrophone.  The acoustic noise of the speed boat has obviously disturbed these shy leviathans, and our goal is of course, a harmonious interaction with these intriguing creatures.