1. Whale
Research
Project
A Whale Research Program was created and
collaboratively run by Lynn Kent and the
Whale Research Lab, Dept. of Geography,
University of Victoria for Lynn’s Master’s
Thesis. Lynn spent the majority of her
undergrad studying marine mammals in
Clayoquot Sound. Through her experience and
recognizing a need for more Science focused
opportunities for students who are blind or
visually impaired, she created and ran a week
long Whale Research Program this past July.

2. Flores
Island
Unchartered
Waters

3. Cathy Bell (O&M), Dr. Kim Zebehazy, students and Lynn Kent
Three students attended the camp from across Canada.
Prerequisites included enrollment in a post-secondary
program and strong Orientation and Mobility skills for the
variety of new terrain that was encountered.

4. On the first day the students
encountered twenty six gray
whales.
Activities that are normally carried out by a field research team
were made accessible for the students. Time was spent time
learning on the boat, in the field and in the laboratory .
Gray
Whales

5. After a week in the field, the
students had shown a
depth of understanding and
confidence as members of
a marine research team.
Dropping Crab traps
for dinner!
Tossing a dive net
to collect a sample.

6. Students built an understanding of boating safety, the
local environment and basic whale science including
building a life-sized gray whale.
“Drifter”
our Research Vessel
Life-sized
Gray Whale

7. Throughout the week students worked
collaboratively on a case study that they
presented at the end of the program.

8. Gone Fish’n

9. Beautiful BC

10. Fried Egg Jellyfish
(Phacellophora jubatus)
First Beach

11. Additional Learning opportunities included
learning about coastal ecology during beach
walks, kayaking and fishing.

12. Sunflower Sea Star
(Pycnopodia helianthoides)
Ponar Sample
from Cow Bay
where two Gray
Whales were
feeding.

13. The Moyeha Falls
Students could lean
out of the boat to
feel the water & the
moss growing on the
rocks.

14. “First off, I really liked
being able to go out
on the boat ...
and experience
firsthand what
whale researchers
go through on a
daily basis.”

16. Gray Whale
Exhalation
Steller Sea Lion
(Eumetopias lutris)
Sea Otter
(Enhydra lutris)

17. Challenging Terrain
Strong O&M a must!
The hostel &
home of the
UVic Whale
Research Lab.

18. “I just have to say, thank you for
an incredible opportunity and I
hope that it can be given to many
others and that it will change
people’s minds about their career
and how people look at the “blind”
in general.”

19. “WHAT AN
AMAZING WEEK!”
Exploring the intertidal shore of First
Beach (Flores Island 2010)
To find out more about the Whale Research Project and
to possibly have your students participate , contact Lynn
Kent - Vision Outreach Coordinator (PRCVI) at
lkent@prcvi.org