Re: [Paddlewise] a whale of a day

Rev. Bob Carter wrote:
> Just when we were
> about to call it quits they surfaced again just ahead and to the left.
Again
> they when to pass right in front of us. However as they did one of the
whales
> stopped and floated at the surface for at least a minute. At this point it
was
> only three boat lengths in front of me. I could hear the music from the
> Twilight Zone playing as .......THE WATCHER BECAME THE WATCHED!
>
>
>     It was an erie feeling knowing this whale was checking us out!


In July I did a 10-day paddling trip in Newfoundland's Notre Dame Bay with
my friends Bob and Chris. About 18 miles into a 24 mile day, we encountered
a lone Minke whale (it seems like they were always alone.) This was about
the third one we had seen in as many days. Even when we stopped in their
vicinity, they ignored us and we rarely saw them for more than a few minutes
before they disappeared altogether. This time, though, we stopped paddling
and sat there hoping the whale would stay in the area. After its initial
surfacing, it submerged, only to pop up about ten yards away on our right.
It then proceeded to circle us, submerging briefly, coming up behind us, on
our left, in the front again and again for about 5-6 circles always within
10 yars or so. The water was so clear that we could often see the whale
below the surface, and could also see interesting patterns left on the water
by its flukes as it passed under. During one of its circlings, it brought
its entire head out of the water, apparently to give us a good look. We sat
there too stunned to say anything other than to point again and again to
where it
as surfacing.

We decided to continue on our way, and began paddling. The whale surfaced in
front of us, then behind us, then on our right, and again on our left,
staying with us. We couldn't paddle away and give up the moment, so we
stopped again. And again, the whale circled us once. At the end, I looked
down under my boat and saw it swim underneath me about 20 feet down. It
continued to my left and under Bob's boat, surfaced to his left rear and
headed away, finally leaving us weak and speechless

I had been in the same water with whales a few times in British Columbia,
but they (humpbacks and grays) had always ignored us or moved away. I think
(I'm no expert) that minkes are usually pretty shy. If so, then ours was
clearly an unusual encounter. Regardless, it made our day too.

Roger Voeller




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