March 23rd, 2010

Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Milton, Delaware Beaches Events & Activities 3/24/10 – 3/28/10 Update on Fin Whale that washed up in Fenwick Island

Update received from the MERR Institute, Inc. regarding the findings after performing a necropsy on the Fin Whale that washed up this past week-end on the beach in Fenwick Island.  This information is from a member of the necropsy team.  It was only 20 years old, and weighed at least 100,000 lbs.  The whale appears to have died from a blunt force trauma, most likely a boat strike.  “To the public that traveled to see this amazing creature, thanks for supporting MERR’s efforts in understanding more about the marine mammals and sea turtles that visit Delaware’s coastal waters.”  If you would like to see my post and pictures regarding the fin whale just scroll down to the 3/21 post on this blog.

Events and activities at the beaches are increasing.  A good sign that the summer season will be upon us in no time.  Pretty nice events going on, so check them out.

Wednesday, 3/24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, 3/28 at 2 p.m. is the film Precious: Based on the novel Push by Saphire.  This will be shown at the Milton Theatre located on 110 Uniion Street, Milton.  Tel. 302-684-3400. Website www.miltontheatre.org.   The town of Milton is north of  Lewes and it is very easy to get to.

If you have never been to this theatre you really should try to attend at least one of the many events that are held there every week.  Check the website for more information.  I just went for the first time with my friend, Debbie, last Friday to see Tindewoks and Hands of Harvest, part of the Delmarva Roots series featuring films about the history of the Delmarva region.  The movies were fantastic and the theatre is just beautiful.

The Old Milton Theatre was a state of the art, art deco movie house.  Rescued from almost ruin, it has been revitalized to operate once again.

Precious received 6 nominations.  The film will be sponsored by Lavender Fields Farm in Milton.  Tickets are $5.00.

Friday, 3/26 also at the Milton Theatre, located on 110 Union St. in Milton, at 8 p.m. is Delaware Comedy Theatre-Murder Mystery “The Mysterious Madcap Murder at the Milton Theatre”.  Live on their stage, a vaudeville-themed murder mystery.  An evening of laughs and merriment.  One victim, so many crazy characters with a motive.  No, the butler didn’t do it!!  The audience is invited to help solve the case.  Tickets are $15; $12 for Seniors (over 65) and students (under 18).  For more information please visit www.miltontheatre.org.

Friday, 3/26 The Monthly Screening:  Some Mother’s Son at 7 p.m., upstairs at the Movies at Midway, on Coastal Highway, (Rt. 1) sponsored by the Rehoboth Beach Film Society.  $2 for RBFS members (membership card required) $4 for non-members.  Complimentary Irish appetizers courtesy of Stoney Lonen in Rehoboth will be served from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

Some Mother’s Son is a 1996 drama based on actual events from 1981, when Irish Republican Army prisoners in Belfast’s Maze Prison staged a hunger strike to protest against British political policies. This fictionalized account focuses on two of the srikers’ mothers, portraying the “Troubles” of Northern Ireland on a purely personal level.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  Following the screening, Film Society Board of Director member, Sharon Miken will lead a discussion about this.

Friday, 3/26, Saturday, 3/27 and Sunday, 3/29  Writers at the Beach: Pure Sea Glass Writer’s Conference.  It is at the Atlantic Sands Hotel in Rehoboth Beach.  Workshops, discussions, readings and book signings.  Keynote speaker will be Steve Luxemburg, author of “Annie’s Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret”.  Registration will be $250. 

One hundred percent of the net proceeds will go to Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, to help families with children with mitochondrial disease.  For info. please visit www.writersatthebeach.com.

You should know that Writers at the Beach: Pure Sea Glass was founded in March of 2005 to raise money for, and awareness of, a little known disease that affects as many as 1 in 2000 children. Mitochondrial disease.

Diseases of the mitochondrial appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endrocrine and respiratory systems.  Please visit the website of The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation www.umdf.org.

Writers at the Beach is about helping others to tell their stories.  Please, do visit the website as it is a very personal story.

Saturday, 3/27 Young Life 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk.  3.1 mile loop course through historic and country side Milton, Delaware.  It is the 2nd Annual Young Life Coastal Sussex County 5 K Run in cooperation with the Seashore Striders.  Where? Start/Finish Mulberry St. by Wagamons Pond.  To register on line and receive more information go to www.active.com (Left corner type in date and town name). Need more info?  Please call Debra Spellman at 302-542-8640. 

Saturday, 3/27 at 8 p.m. and also at the Milton Theatre, located on110 Union Street in Milton.  Hmm, this little town is having some action this week.  It is LOL – A Spring Icebreaker.  Join them for a comedy night and celebrate the end of a very long and cold winter.  Just for the fun of it, you can participate in this lively evening of laughs co-sponsored by Delmarva Broadcasting.  Tickets are $10, ($12 at the door that night).  For more information, please visit www.miltontheatre.org.

Saturday, 3/27 Exhibit Opening “Spring and Summer Moods” at Peninsula Gallery.  This is the work of Tricia Cherrington Ratliff.  Exhibit will run until April 24th.  Peninsula Gallery is located at 520 E. Savannah Rd. in Lewes, just across from the canal bridge.  On Saturday, 3/27 there will be an opening reception to meet the artist from 5 – 7 p.m.  The show may be previewed on the website www.peninsulagallery.com.

Saturday, 3/27 and Sunday 3/28 in Rehoboth Beach is the 13th Annual Delaware Resorts Home Expo at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Rehoboth Ave.  There will be over 50 exhibitors; realtors, builders, home service companies, etc.  Saturday from 9 until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 until 4 p.m.  This is a benefit for Sussex County Habitat for Humanity.  It is Free. More info?  Please visit www.rehobothtoday.com/expo or you can call 302-645-0225.

I think this is all for tonight, so, I will talk to you later….

March 21st, 2010

Fin Whale…Stranded…Delaware Beaches…Fenwick Island…

I have never seen a dead stranded whale.  I decided to take a ride to Fenwick Island and see if I could find it.  Driving from Rehoboth, the direction is south and a little bit before entering the town of Fenwick I saw cars parked on the side of the road by the beach.  That was the site.

It was so sad to see such a majestic animal beached on such a beautiful day.

I still had to walk on the beach and I could see some people standing by the edge of the water.  A representative from the MERR Institute was there and was giving information.  The MERR Institute, Inc., located in Nassau, Delaware is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals and sea turtles.

MERR stands for The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, Inc. It is authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the State of Delaware to be the official stranding respondents for the Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles of Delaware.

MERR responds to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles wether they are alive or dead.  They conduct research on marine species, education and outreach programs for schools and groups.  They participate in the Northeast Regional Stranding Network.

Please visit their website, www.merrinstitute.org.  You may also e-mail them to merrins@earlink.net.  Their telephone number is 302-228-5029.  This also the number for the Stranding Hotline.  If you ever encounter such a situation, please do not disturb or attempt to return a stranded animal to the water.  This telephone number is the number to call at any time.

As a group of us were standing just staring at the whale, the MERR representative told us that this was a Fin Whale.  It is the second largest whale known to man.  This particular one was 62 feet.  Already samples were taken for analysis.  This whale was also middle age.

This whale will be transported to, I believe, an area of the State Park, and a necropsy will be performed.  Apparently, the odor will be intense, to say the least.  Then after everything is finished it will probably be buried.  Every state has its own procedures in dealing with something like this.

Autopsy vs. necropsy?  An autopsy is performed on humans and a necropsy is for any other specie.  This info. is courtesy of my niece, Joanne, who is at vet school in North Carolina.

I wanted to find more info. on the Fin Whale and it was interesting to find out that besides being the second largest whale, it is also the second largest living animal after the blue whale.  It can grow to be 88 feet long.

The Fin Whale is long and slender.  The fin whale’s body is brownish-grey with a paler underside.

The whale has a series of 56-100 pleats or grooves along the bottom of the body that run from the tip of the chin to the navel that allow the throat area to expand greatly during feeding.  It is a filter-feeder, feeding on small schooling fish, squid, and crustaceans.

Fin whales have been known to leap completely out of the water.  It is also one of the fastest whales with speed of 23 miles per hour.

The Fin Whale was heavily hunted during the 20th century and is an endangered species, with only about 3,000 remaining in the Southern Hemisphere.

I asked the MERR volunteer what she thought it could have happened to this whale and she said that until its necropsy is finished they will not know.  But she did mention that apparently a report was called in that a ship in the Channel had hit a whale and the whale went under.  It is not sure if it is this whale, but they will look for signs of trauma and a broken jaw.

I said how sad and she said not to be; a lot will be learned from studying this beautiful whale.

 Note:  Information on Fin Whales was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin_whale

See you…have a great evening….