yes, i went whalewatching! i'm so psyched. and more than that, so glad i have friends who were willing to brave the cold and the possible seasickness to do it with me... for a 4 hour tour!! (since it was suppose to only be 2 1/2) sure we got our monies worth but i will next time take a more luxurious boat that has an inside area and can go really fast, bargains be damned... i'm not sure. first off i forgot my camera, stopped to get lunch later than i should've, but thought i had all the time in the world- got a disposable camera, then got side-tracked twice and we almost missed the boat! with less than a minute to spare, we ran, shaking and fumbling our money- and once on the boat realized i had 1) forgotten the disposable camera 2) that i hadn't taken the dramamine yet. . . and i'd lost my glasses and was like seriously confused when my friend handed them to me. it was like a wacky parlor trick. my friends bore up under this happenstance with good cheer- whenever i pull people into my insane fancies- i am mortified with the thought that things will go wrong or that it won't have been worth it- so i hope for them it really was. but alas i did get seasick- sort of green- and when concentrating really hard on not puking i become quiet and less inclined to chat so it was at most points on the voyage, every man for himself. though i did point out that the national bookstore chain (of which i am under- employ) has enabled me to stand for vast hours- so since sitting made me really ill i was able to bear up and lean over the boats edge onto the horizon. but that's about all i was able to say, except for bearhugging them to keep us warm, and commenting idly about things like the weather...and yes how i couldn't believe the sun didn't come out and yes, my toes had lost all feeling.
the good thing was we actually saw 2 whales. but too bad it was early on in the voyage. we had 3 sightings i think of the same 2 whales- and 2 of the times one of them flipped his tail at us and dived. awesome. it's hard to realize i wasn't hallucinating. the first time was closer, about 20ft or less from the boat- and again i wasn't quite sure i wasn't imagining things. then it became a long long long wait- and more waiting, and more looking on to the vast stretch of water and being really really bored and trying not to get seasick and wondering when the hell we'd be turning around. or bemoaning the fact i didn't bring liquer with me. alas!
so then the captain got on his horn and told us there was a pod of 1,000 dolphins going at break neck speed somewhere and by god, he was going to try to catch them even though we were already running late- and off we took, water breaking over the bough and leaping up and down the swells- the dolphins which stretched for a mile before us- meer specks... got closer and we could see them breaching over the water, so many we couldn't count and almost breathless as we saw them appear closer to us, breaking
over the waves, and running under the bow of the ship... we cheered and leaned close into the water to see these amazing animals zooming in front of the bow and by our side, catching our wake as so many of them chopped up over the water. i almost cried. and wished we were in a boat that could catch them- and as they continued to cut fast to the left of us the captain said we were so late out we couldn't follow them any longer but that he was glad we got to see them. i think the chase was the best part and the dolphins, so many of them- glorious. the whales sure... if i actually did see them... and then i was pretty sure we had an hour to go and it was a long and sulky ride back- more dolphins! more whales!, we cried. but no. and so cold and hungry we were set to shore and feasted on some fresh halibut (they chinced us on the fries) and wended our weary way home, but not without a as i say, tai chi latte (i'm dyslexic) and a rice krispee square that smelled like coffee.thanks guys. it was AMAZING.
9 comments:
I have to say, I got a little seasick reading this, and was wondering why liquor would help? But three cheers for your adventure! and the dolphins, and the whale specks on the horizon!! Hurrah!!
And this quote won't leave my head: "The sea was angry that day, my friends. Like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli."
whales and dolphins - so cool!
It was awesome, and we caught the boat! :) Now you've got to put up the enhanced whale picture...as it proves, sort of, that we actually did see flukes.
I found out from my dad yesterday that the Dramamine makes him sick, so I don't know if it was a good preemptive measure for me or not.
I ended up with semi-bruises on my knees from kneeling on the bench. Did you? Or were you standing the whole time?
Next time I must remember to pack a gardening pad, or something. (Maybe my fleece would have worked as a cushion if I hadn't needed to wear it.)
so worth it! and i think my photo of the whale tail was pretty zoomed in so when it is developed, i'll share it post haste. (and i, too, have small semi-bruises from kneeling on the benches.)
no bruises. but i have been told via 2 other people and mythbusters that ginger pills is what we should try next. and some pelligrino... rum, whatever.
Seals on a buoy is also exciting.
Aw, you went adventuring!! Man, whale watching looks cool. I'm adding that to my list of shit to do one day.
I totally talked a girl I work with into going this weekend, only she'll probably do the 10 a.m. run. (Which, according to someone else at work, may have had calmer waters.)
ah if you were only on the other coast up here in the north atlantic in summer, you could see whales without having to leave land, or the bar, or the front room... my neighbour rings down when she sees them. must admit that i wouldn't like to be on the ocean trying to see them, hold on and hold it all in.
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