Last week when I was in Massachusetts, Carolyn mentioned she had a "surprise event" planned for me while I was visiting. No matter how much I begged or whined, she wouldn't tell me until after I had arrived and we had done several day trips. Then one night before going to bed, she asked if I got seasick on boats. When my response was negative, she proceeded to tell me that on Thursday we would be going whale watching on the boat Eye Spy.
On Thursday the weather was perfect...bright sunny skies. As Carolyn and I boarded the boat, we were greeted by a crew member and were told tea and cake were being served in the lower galley. After this refreshment we went up to the top deck and found a perfect spot to view whales.
The Eye Spy
Leaving Redcliffe
Passing Moreton Island out to the whaling grounds.
Captain Kerri pointing out a whale.
Although we saw an incredible amount of whales (four different pods) during our trip, it was really difficult getting a good shot. I got fins, tails, waterspouts and splashes.... but I was never able to capture a whale breaching. Sigh.
Returning to Redcliffe, I had to smile. Carolyn was bright red with sunburn....I, on the other hand, was not. On our way to catch the boat earlier in the day, we had stopped at one of the shops along the boardwalk and I had plastered my face and arms with the "freebie" emu oil. It worked!
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Comments: 47
Emu oil, now that's something new, glad it worked. Can't find that here I bet.
And beaching has got to hurt.
Photos are as always wonderful & telling.
The tenent/Gardener; NOT elizabeth e. (She's ineccent) and seamly
Who is the tenent Gardener?
Papa is the tenant gardener and kitty babysitter.
They are Humpbacks in our bay, on their migration to and from the breeding grounds in the warmer northern waters. The humpback was hunted to near extinction on the east coast and moreton island has the remains of an old whaling station as evidence of those insane times. Since the mid sixties I think Captain Krissy said, the humpback has been protected and in that time the threatened population of less than 300 whales has increased to an impressive ten thousand, one of the rare but inspirational success stories of wildlife protection.
The rules for whale watching boats are very strict but in moreton bay only two vessels have a license which means they dont have to keep to the distance requirement that apply to areas with more vessels, and this is just as well cause the whales are curious and sociable and come right up to the boat to check us out and wave and show off. at one point a pod of four show offs cruised by and as they'd come up we'd get their blow spray right in our faces. it was like being spritzed by eau de tuna.
most other days this week I took Bob to places of interest that I'd seen before, but this was a totally new experience for me, perhaps one i'd never have undertaken without the joyful opportunity to share it with my honoured international guest. So our day on the Eye Spy was certainly a major highlight for me. I'm thinking of ways I can convince Captain Krissy she should increase her crew by one, and choose a representative from the older, frumpier part of the community as a sort of liaison officer for the 80% of the clientelle who are no longer young lithe boaties. I'm sure i'm onto something here.. ;)
Hope you get to go out and commune with the whales again, Carolyn. As for me, it's a peak experience every time I'm in the presence of cetaceans.
Featured in the Triple Name Club.
Those pics are outstanding - don't knock them - I see one spouting water. I'm reading like the fourth essay - working backwards and I'm so jealous:)
Have fun - this is an awesome trip!