A 30-day research cruise was conducted to assess the distribution, abundance and population structuring of beaked whales in the Great Bahama Canyon. The survey represented the first of three beaked whale surveys planned for the northern Bahamas as part of the Bahamas Beaked Whale Ecology Study.

During 13 days at sea, a total of 968 miles of visual survey effort were conducted in the northern Bahamas resulting in 37 marine mammal sightings. Seven different species were sighted, with Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) being the most frequently sighted species. There were a total of nine sightings of beaked whales, seven of these were Mesoplodon densirostris and the rest were unknown Ziphiids. Over 900 photo-identification photographs were taken during encounters and preliminary analysis shows matches of some individuals to those previously archived in BMMRO's existing photographic catalogues from south Abaco Island. During beaked whale encounters, biopsy attempts were made two times, resulting in the successful collection of one tissue sample.