Artemisa is now traveling northwards through the central zone of the Scotia Sea, after having reached the farthest southeast position ever recorded in all our years tracking right whale migrations. Around March 22 Artemisa reached 63.9° S and 18.5° W, after having traveled 18,900 kilometers (11,744 miles) since leaving Peninsula Valdés last October 29th.

Artemisa is no longer the whale farthest south this season, but she continues to be the one farthest east. In these two weeks she crossed the Islas Sandwich del Sur (South Sandwich) arc, and continued northeastwards to 55°S, where she suddenly changed dirction. She is now 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of the Sandwich archipelago.

Artemisa is currently the whale that is farthest south. During these past two weeks she traveled more than 1,300 kilometers (808 miles), crossed the Malvinas (Falkland) Plateau, and continued to the southeast across the Scotia Sea, without pause. She is now near the Islas Sandwich del Sur (South Sandwich Islands).

Artemisa is over the Malvinas (Falklands) plateau east of the archipelago, close to two other tagged whales, Eos and Persefone. After traveling in the deep ocean basin, on January 24 Artemisa headed southeast to her present position. Her zigzag path suggests she has discovered a productive feeding patch.

At the latitude of the Golfo San Jorge, but more than 500 km (310 miles) east of the continental slope, in the deep waters of the ocean basin, Artemisa remains within a radius of no more than 40 kilometers (25 miles). It would seem she has found a productive patch in her travel to the southwest, given she has remained in the area more than a week.

Artemisa has been exploring the deep ocean basin for weeks. The circular pattern of her tracks, at 45°W and 1,600 kilometers (994 miles) from the Patagonian shore, indicate that this adult female likely fed in the marine whirlpools which upraise nutrients and plankton from the ocean depths. Artemisa and her calf traveled north after leaving the deep ocean basin and are now traveling southwestwards.

After being tagged Artemisa and her calf traveled around Golfo Nuevo, crossing to the southern shore, then returning to Puerto Pirámides and on to Morro Nuevo on the northern rim of the entrance to the gulf. After 9 days they left the Península’s calm waters, crossed the continental shelf and then the continental slope at latitude 45°S. Mother and calf explored the deep ocean basin traveling first southeast, then northeast reaching 40°W, about 1,500 km (932 miles) from Península Valdés.