Another "sailor take warning" sunrise!
On the 4th of this month I had my first kayak
encounter with a whale for this season. I succeeded in intercepting a whale a bit out
from The WZ and when I got to within about a quarter mile I discovered
it was a fin whale (first I’ve ever seen). I eventually got within 50’ of it
and it was a beauty! They are the second largest of the great whales – not
exactly rare but unfortunately endangered. It was an honor to be compadres for
a few moments.
Fin Whale
I was also visited by a group of dolphins that day and had a great swim in over the reef afterwards.
Common Pacific Dolphins - this pic was taken two years ago
The next day I saw three humpbacks from my roof and hustled
down to the beach to launch my kayak (it’s about a 10 min. drill), but for the
first time ever I was turned back by the wind at about 1/8 mile out. I may be
obsessed but I ain’t stupid!
On the 8th it was a perfect day for a search but due to a mix up
in scheduling (that I’m still pissed off about) I couldn’t get out to The WZ in
a panga so I went out in my kayak. In just ½ hour I encountered four humpbacks (would have been four certain ID’s) and one Bryde’s whale. I got real close to two of the whales.
One of them never did a flukes up and I was able to kayak next to him for a
good mile or more. We were separated by only 10’ most of the time and never
further away than 20’ – that was sooo cool! I talked to it the whole time, sang
a bit, chuckled a lot.
Humpback up close
The 17th was my first time out on a search in the
panga. Did the full grid but not a whale in sight. I went out again on the 19th,
this time with my friend Ishmael and we came across three humpbacks. I only got one
ID - but world class – and he has been adopted by my good friend Marilee
Spurlock in Hawaii. His name is now “Beethoven”.
"Beethoven" - HB# 1 13
When Ishmael and I got to where the other two whales had
been breaching they were gone. It was all about, “one bird in the hand…..”
Went out yet again yesterday (the 24th) but not a
blow anywhere. We did however come across a herd of hundreds of Common Pacific
Dolphins, quite a sight!
My "other" family - The Q's, went out with me yesterday. From left - Antoine, Jean-Luc, Quentin, Brigitte, Tristan.
Next window of
opportunity looks like next Sunday or Monday – big wind today and the rest of
the week.
Check out this video of a “calving” glacier back in 2008 –
impressive!!
On May 28, 2008, Adam LeWinter and
Director Jeff Orlowski filmed a historic breakup at the Ilulissat Glacier in
Western Greenland. The calving event lasted for 75 minutes and the glacier
retreated a full mile across a calving face three miles wide. The height of the
ice is about 3,000 feet, 300-400 feet above water and the rest below water.
Back in 2006 while looking for a publisher for my Indian
ethnography, one of the reviewers suggested I turn the manuscript into a
historical novel. I worked on it off and on till last year when I handed it
over to a new friend, Lance Larson, who had more expertise in dialogue than
myself. Well, he finished it and it is now available on Amazon as an e-book.
Check it out.
My first, perhaps only, attempt at fiction.
Overall things are going rather well for me, I am most
pleased with my health at this point and the health and happiness of my two
much loved and respected children – Kersti and Zack. Here’s a little ditty that
Kersti puts as a post script on all her mail – brings a smile to me every time.
Life is
not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about
learning how to dance in the rain!"
Kersti always ready to go with a smile.
Kersti at University graduation - attitude!
Kersti recent - still smiling!
And look what The Estonians are doing!
Estonian flag - blue illuminates a bright future and represents the nordic sky, black is a reminder of the people's past struggles and represents the earth (or soil), and white represents the efforts of the people toward enlightenment (the literal translation is "toward the spiritual light") and represents both the snows of winter and the bright summer nights.
Here are a few extraneous shots:
My way of relieving the tensions of graduate school - 1968
If we don't care for our oceans, the rest is immaterial.
Here's hoping!
No comments:
Post a Comment