They are either documenting the final days of one of the world's largest creatures, or they are witnessing the beginning steps to recovery of a species on the brink. The outlook is not good. There's 100 Western Pacific gray whales. It's in the Russian Far East, where there is no real legal framework or enforcement. The chances of saving them are pretty grim.
First light brings welcome news.
The skies are clear. The fog has lifted. Seas are calm, and the mosquitoes are swarming. The smoky, cast-iron wood stove heats coffee. Fresh-baked bread is cut and smothered with cheese and jam.