In its fifth incarnation since 2011, Superpod Five kicks off 18 July 2016 in Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island. This year's theme, The Future, will feature presentations and activities that blend the work of our youth leaders with whale watching, updates on research, dams, salmon, & more.
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| Click HERE to go to this Friday Harbor website |
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| Photo series v J. Ventre #Superpod4 |
#Superpod5 is the fifth in a series of gatherings, hosted by Voice of the Orcas, open to the public and attended by an international group of scientists, filmmakers, authors, journalists, former trainers, naturalists, & orca advocates.
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| Ella van Cleave, Michelle Duncan, , and journalist Melissa Cronin at #Superpod3 on the deck of Headquarters |
The official itinerary includes events beginning Monday 18 July through Friday 22 July, but many visitors arrive before the event begins, or depart several days after the event closes. Once arriving in the "San Juans," most folks don't want to leave, and all can understand why orcas prefer the surrounding waters to concrete tanks. The Haro Strait, separating the West side of San Juan Island, from Canada, can be seen in the short video below:
In general, the ideas & connections made at superpod gatherings have been significant in helping to bring concepts like captivity, dam breaching, & salmon restoration to the public through presentations, documentary films, direct action, social media, and journalists who attend and report on it. Four film crews have attended past gatherings, including for Blackfish, and we're told a fifth crew, another documentary team, will be attending in 2016.
Below, hear Katie Emmons, one of the event organizers, speaking at the Kodak Theater, Rochester, New York, with Phil Demers in the foreground:
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The Business:
If you have questions about #Superpod5, the event planning committee for 2016 consists of:
Kimberly Ventre @KimberlyVentre
Dr. Lori Marino @Whale_Sanctuary
Carol Ray @carolray_wa
Dr. Jeffrey Ventre @jeffrey_ventre
Katie Emmons @BlueFreedomOrg
Captain Jeff Friedman @orcawild
Kim has secured the community theater, is handling the #Blackfish whale-watch ticket sales on June 1st, and is the lead organizer of Superpod5. The Blackfish trip will be on the "Western Prince II."
[ SOLD OUT - quickly. Note that there are plenty of other whale watch opportunities & we can direct you to them.
GO HERE: http://
GO HERE: http://
Dr. Marino is speaking at the event and organizing a scholar-advocacy conference on the island. Please read the notice below and contact Dr. Marino if you would like to participate.
Captain Jeff Friedman & Spencer Domico will be operating three whale watching vessels, The Peregrine, Imagine, and the new "J-1," during the event. For questions about getting on a WW boat, please contact Jeff.
Jeffrey Ventre is organizing the speaking line up, utilizing this blog, Twitter, and direct communications to get people information, such as:
1. Information about how to get to the island can be found HERE
2. Information about last year's event can be found HERE
3. The history of the event can be found HERE
4. The website for the event (built by Jeff Friedman) is HERE
Note that you can register for Superpod events at the site. The information is used to estimate how many will be attending & planning venue size. Also, this event is free & open to all, but there are costs, including rental fees for the community theater, over $2000. In an effort to keep the event free to attendees, there is an option to donate on the http://www.orcasuperpod.com/ website.
Carol Ray has secured Superpod5 headquarters, is a potential speaker and is an organizer of the event. Reach out to her for general questions. Carol is one of the cast members of the new documentary, Voiceless. See her in the new official trailer, below:
Katie Emmons is one of our youth leaders and director of the new documentary, Voiceless, which will be premiering at #Superpod5. You can see Katie interviewing Dr. John Jett for her film HERE
Katie Emmons is one of our youth leaders and director of the new documentary, Voiceless, which will be premiering at #Superpod5. You can see Katie interviewing Dr. John Jett for her film HERE
In this second video, Katie explains what Voiceless is:
We're excited for #Superpod5 as it will attract folks from distant places who all share a love of killer whales, nature, and conservation, in general. Please use hashtag #Superpod5 as we approach this event. Based on early numbers, it will likely be the most attended superpod yet. We are expecting 300 to 400 attendees. Please return to this space for updates on tickets and the schedule, below:
We're excited for #Superpod5 as it will attract folks from distant places who all share a love of killer whales, nature, and conservation, in general. Please use hashtag #Superpod5 as we approach this event. Based on early numbers, it will likely be the most attended superpod yet. We are expecting 300 to 400 attendees. Please return to this space for updates on tickets and the schedule, below:
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SCHEDULE -- Partial
#Superpod5 Schedule (So far)
Monday July 18
2-4
pm: Meet & Greet at Friday’s Crabhouse
This
is a casual get together to greet old friends and make some new ones. Everyone
tends to gather on the top deck for a drink or bite to eat.
6:30pm
Welcome to Superpod 5 “The Future” San Juan Community Theatre
History
of Superpod and the Blackfish Effect
Ex-SeaWorld
Trainer/Blackfish Cast Member Dr.
Jeffrey Ventre
7:00pm
Screening of documentary film Voiceless
Q&A
with Voiceless Director and Blue
Freedom Founder Katie Emmons
Tuesday July 19 San Juan Community Theatre 9 – 4pm
Scholar
Advocacy Day
Presentation
times to follow including:
9:00am
– Young Adult Novel The Blackfish Prophecy
Rachel
Clark, Science & Environment Author
How
I Followed My Dreams to Superpod Using Social Media
Mariah
Kirby, Biology Student, University of Missouri-St. Louis
To
the Sea - a
film about (re)connection
Ella
Van Cleeve, aspiring documentary film maker/advocate
Cetacean
Awareness: Using Social Media to Create a Vibrant Community
Michelle
Strom, Student/Founder Cetacean Awareness
Every
Drop
Roya
Paller, Social Worker, Founder/President Generation Change
Scholar
Advocacy Roundtable including Dr. Naomi Rose, Dr. Lori Marino, Dr. Jeffrey
Ventre
The
Whale Sanctuary Project – the Future for Captive Cetaceans
Dr.
Lori Marino, neuroscientist
Founder
and Executive Director the Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy
“I
Am Not an Animal!”
Michael
Mountain, founding member of The Whale Sanctuary Project Former President of
Best Friends Animal Society
Founder
EarthinTransition.org
Conservation
Canines
Dr.
Sam Wasser, Director, Center for Conservation Biology
University
of Washington
Wednesday July 20
Whale
Watch Wednesday
Spend
the morning exploring beautiful San Juan Island. Many Superpod participants are
whale watching from shore, kayaks or boats–but the island also has wonderful
hiking, biking, shopping and beachcombing. Don’t forget to check out the Whale
Museum.
Afternoon
– San Juan Community Theater 1:30-4pm
#EmptyTheTanks presentation
Rachel Carbary
#EmptyTheTanks presentation
Rachel Carbary
Closing
the Wild Capture Loophole: Working to Ban the Importation of Wild Cetaceans
into Canada
Katherine
Sussman, Ph.D
Alphabet
Soup: Legislation, Regulation, and Agencies, oh my!
Dr.
Naomi Rose, Marine Mammal Protection Advocate and Orca Biologist
Dolphin
Project
Lincoln
O’Barry
Whale
Museum 6:30pm
David
Neiwert Of Orcas and Men Presentation
and book signing
Thursday July 21 – San Juan Community
Theater 9am-5pm
Presentation
times to follow including:
The
Ecosystem Approach: The Future of Endangered Species Recovery
Colleen
Weiler, WDC, Rekos Fellow for Orca Conservation
Dolphin
and Whale Brains – More Evidence for Complexity
Dr.
Lori Marino, neuroscientist/Founder and Executive Director the Kimmela Center
for Animal Advocacy
Navy Sonar & Marine Mammals: Potential Measures
to Mitigate Harmful Effects
Meegan Corcoran, ex-Navy Biologist, University of
Washington
Center
for Whale Research 40 years and Counting Shifting Baselines in the Salish
Sea
Ken
Balcomb, Founder/Executive Director, Center for Whale Research
Dr.
Deborah Giles, Research Director, Center for Whale Research
A
Captive Orca and Her Natural History
Howard
Garrett, Co-Founder Orca Network