Reflections on Whales–Part III

February 21

Rough, gray sky, chilly day. Yoga under the stars was challenging with the boat rocking so much. The whales were out frolicking elsewhere for the most part. Not many were seen in our little corner of the Silver Bank.

But late in the day, after almost eight hours on the water in the small boat, a mother and calf gifted us with a very short but incredibly SWEET encounter. I entered the water and swam up to the guide. The viz wasn’t good but mom was horizontal and baby hanging tail-down/nose-up in the water column. Two fish were playing at the baby’s nose.

(For video…click the file)

Slowly, ever-so-slowly, the calf began to rise up. She swam toward me (although Karen might say she swam toward her) and made eye contact. WHEW! That’s the candy!

I glanced down as baby breathed at the surface and mom was rising up beneath us. She also made eye contact with her magnificent, huge eye and watched each of us floating in complete and total awe. Her pectoral fin passed within a few feet of us as she turned.

One encounter like that can make eight hours of rough water and cold-endurance worth it. SO WORTH IT!