whale talker

The computer situation is not resolved yet but it's getting there. I am alive and well, the weather has been extraordinarily mild so the whale spotting has gone very well. I now have 26 really good IDs with a total of 33 encounters; this is good!

Big news is that I had my first ever underwater swim with a Humpback yesterday. I have been in the water with them many times, often as close as 15-20' but never underwater. It was a first year calf, maybe 20' long next to it's mother. Elizabeth and I rolled out together in front of them and waited for them to arrive at our position; tricky to say the least. Vicente was on deck pointing out their progress and at one point yelled, "Herme, now, now, dive, they are right below you." I did and there was the calf just below me and looking over it's left shoulder at me. We swam together for a few seconds and then it disappeared into the depths. Another dream realized here in whale world!

* Herme is Vicente's take on Urmas