Graham Nash honored right here in Massachusetts…

By Steve Levine - The Shrewsbury Lantern

Woods Hole, Massachusetts – He is a man of many talents, across a host of fields, and one of the nicest folks I know, but tonight Graham Nash was honored not for his music, his photography, his quest for safe energy or even his paintings – but rather for a lifetime spent protecting one of our planets natural resources – the great whales. Before a packed house at the event held by the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, Nash was presented with the Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Award for a lifetime of achievement spent passionately raising awareness for these amazing creatures, many of which call Massachusetts their summer home.

Nash stressed just how important it is that we leave a better world for our children, and that we work together to do all that we can. He quoted Willie Nelson, who recalled that things were better when, “…you looked around and if there’s anything wrong here, there, anywhere, you took care of your own area…and I think that’s a pretty good thing to go by. If everyone just takes care of their own area then we won’t have any problems. Be here. Be present. Wherever you are, be there. And look around you and see what needs to be changed.”

A two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with Crosby Stills and Nash, and the Hollies, I’ve associated him with whale conservation since the very first time I had the privilege of hearing his song on the subject, “Wind on the Water,” which used to be performed to the backdrop of a fantastic film featuring whales from all over the globe. According to legend, it was inspired after a close encounter with a whale while sailing with his lifelong friend and partner David Crosby. For anyone who hasn’t heard the tune before, here’s a link to it for your enjoyment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoek1e8t2K4

A humpback I photographed off the coast of Boston last year

Making his home on the gorgeous island of Kauai, Graham has understandably been surrounded by these gorgeous creatures for a long, long time, but here on the other side of the globe in Massachusetts, most of us have at least had the experience to travel out to the Stellwagen Bank preserve on one of the many whale watch boats that leave from Boston, Provincetown, and Gloucester. Even though I get seasick at just the sight of the boat at the dock, I still manage to get out at least once or twice a year to take in the grandeur of the host of humpback, finback and minke whales that use our waters as their summer grounds before heading south. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to take such a journey, now is the perfect time of year to reach out to our friends at Boston Harbor Cruises and spend a few hours out on the open ocean seeing whales up close. Getting to know these amazing animals first hand is the first step to understanding why we have to do even more to make sure they are protected from their one and only enemy – mankind. Each year, countless whales fall victim to boat strikes, or entanglement in fishing lines, both of which are absolutely avoidable situations. Still others fall victim to some of the only nations such as Japan and Iceland that still feel the need to hunt whales to stock their shelves with exotic foods – something that we have yet to fully exert our international pressure to stop.

The Stellwagen Bank sanctuary is an 842 square mile secion of the Atlantic which lies about 25 miles East of Boston. An underwater plateau of shallow water, it creates an uplifting current that forces krill, and sand lance up towards the surface, and provides the perfect place for whales, bluefin tuna and other marine life to feed. It was designated a sanctuary 20 years ago under the National Marine Sanctuary Act and is open to the public, subject to certain rules and regulations designed to protect the area and it’s denizens for future generations to enjoy.

Interested in learning more?

You can read all about the history of Stellwagen Bank at http://stellwagen.noaa.gov

To check out some of Graham’s paintings, currently on exhibit, go to http://www.oceangalleries.com

While you’re at it, grab a copy of the new CSN live DVD at http://crosbystillsnash.shop.musictoday.com