Warm Water and Other Wet News

First in watery news this week, NOAA reports that this past June was the warmest on record for every hemisphere. The ocean surface water temperatures were between 1.1 and 1.2 degrees warmer (in Fahrenheit) above the norms recorded since 1880. According to the NOAA website:

Each hemisphere broke its June record for warmest ocean surface temperature. In the Northern Hemisphere, the warm anomaly of 1.17 degrees F (0.65 degree C) surpassed the previous record of 1.12 degrees F (0.62 degree C), set in 2005. The Southern Hemisphere’s increase of 0.99 degree F (0.55 degree C) exceeded the old record of 0.92 degree F (0.51 degree C), set in 1998.

What can we do about this? I could go into a list, but as so many things are involved, it is best for us to simply be aware of what is going on.

Up next we have the story of a favorite of many, the sea turtles. While there are many different species of sea turtles from hawksbill to leatherback, to green, loggerhead... they are all in need of some support right now. According to a 20 page report published by Oceana and their group of marine scientists, "770 sea turtles are caught annually in Mid-Atlantic
bottom trawl fisheries." Add this to the already diminishing number of turtles (6 of 7 species here are endangered) and fewer nesting females and you have a sad dilemma. What can you do? There are little and big things you can do and you can find out more at Oceana and NWF. The original article is published here. The little guy to the right is a green turtle Chelonia mydas.

Lastly, on a lighter note (I did not realize how depressing my article choices were), a beluga whale that had been swimming up and around a river in Canada finally made it out of the river and back into the Northumberland Strait. The whale showed up at the end of June and scientist doubted that it could be a beluga as they are rarely seen in that part of the world. Adding to this doubt was the fact that belugas usually travel in pods and this one was solitary. It was, in fact, a beluga, and now it's headed back out to sea. So cute!

Thanks for reading and please remember, when enjoying a day near or on the water, take your trash with you. Simple little things like this can really make a difference.