[CINC] Big Miracle and the Facts Behind the Movie

[Bernardo Alps]

Hi all.

The movie "Big Miracle" starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski continues its run in movie theaters http://www.everybodyloveswhales.com/.  It is a fun and entertaining feature, if you can overlook some pretty big inaccuracies like the vocalizations of the animals and especially the fact that the three whales are portrayed as a father, mother and baby. The bottom line is that, just like the true events on which it is based, the movie is helping to raise awareness about gray whales and the marine environment in general. 

Here are links to three resources that give some background about the actual rescue that took place in 1988.

The first is a blog by Alaska photographer Bill Hess. He lives among the Inupiat and is very sensitive to their culture and traditions. Hess is the author of an amazing book about the bowhead hunt titled "The Gift of the Whale" (http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0002/bhintro.htm). He was present throughout the events and has written about them quite extensively in his blog. It is a fascinating read because he adds a lot of detail and background and his photos are not only amazing but they tell the story in their own way. "The movie, Big Miracle, and what I witnessed in real life" is spread out in 15 entries in his blog Logbook Wasilla, http://www.logbookwasilla.com/logbookwasilla/2012/2/3/the-movie-big-miracle-and-what-i-witnessed-in-real-life-part.html.

The second is an account by Anchorage Daily News reporter Richard Mauer who covered the events back then and wrote this piece from his notes, http://www.adn.com/2012/02/02/2297759/1988-barrow-whale-rescue-the-real.html. It is accompanied by a nice set of photos by  photographer Bill Roth.

The last one is a question and answer with Alaska Fisheries Science Center biologist Dave Withrow who worked the event for NOAA, on the NOAA website, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/02/2_1_2012_bigmiracle.html.

Hopefully the movie will get folks to come out on the boats to see these amazing animals and then we will have a chance to take over where it leaves off and give them some accurate information. 


Take care,

Bernardo