Latest Updates on the Whale: November 2009 Fall/Winter 2009/2010 Workshop Open House dates have been announced. Drop in to the Blue Whale Workshop at 211 Harbour Road in Victoria BC (map) to see the progress for yourself. As the articulation process continues, the whale will begin to take shape. Watch for updates and get more info on our Blue Whale Project Workshop website. Those Blue Whale t-shirts will also be on sale. December 3 December 19 January 10 January 23 February 9 February 20 March 6 Thursday Saturday Sunday Saturday Tuesday Saturday Saturday 5:30-8:30pm 11:00am-3:00pm 11:00am-3:00pm 11:00am-3:00pm 5:30-8:30pm 11:00am-3:00pm 11:00am-3:00pm November 2009 Some of the Blue Whale bones are undergoing a vapour degreasing process. This procedure extracts remaining oil left from the enzyme bath. The jawbone (below right) was so big, it had to have a custom tank built for it. Skeleton articulator Mike deRoos says, "we've been making steady progress and the bones look wonderful". August 2009 Our summer open houses at the Blue Whale Project Workshop in Victoria were a great success. Thanks to everyone who came by to learn about the Project, thank you to Ellice Recycle for the venue, and a giant thank you to our Workshop associates and volunteers. June 2009 A class of Grade One students from Frank Hobbs Elementary visited the Blue Whale Project Workshop in Victoria. For more images and information, click here. May 2009: The first of the bones have made their way out of their enzyme baths. Mike deRoos, our master skeleton articulator, is working with these bones to get an idea of how to piece the skeleton together. In the photos, Mike's father Bob poses for scale alongside the ribs (left) and the tail end of the vetebral column (right). January 2009: Dr. Andrew Trites was interviewed by CBC Radio's Island Morning show from Prince Edward Island. He describes the current state of the whale and the project challenges. To listen to the segment, go to the Island Morning website for the day of January 13th. November 2008: A team of UBC microbiologists, joined by a camera crew from the Discovery Channel, visited the degreasing site to asses the state of the solution in which the whale bones are soaking. The UBC contingent consisted of Gary Lesnicki, from the Michael Smith Labs, and Doug Kilburn and Tony Warren, retired UBC professors. As part of their recommendations, the temperature of the solution was raised, and the rate of extraction of the oil has increased dramatically.