[Paddlewise] FW: Whales

> some snips
> 
> 	Wish I'd read this and Roger's post before I sent my last post!  If
> these don't hook my wife, it's a lost cause!  Melissa, are they as
> friendly
> when you aren't alone......the first thing my wife will say is "I'll take
> up
> paddling if you take me to where Melissa is so I can play with a whale".
> So.....are you ready to be a tour guide??????
> 
> 	Rick
> 
> > I paddle with Gray Whales almost every day, and I've also paddled 
> > with Orcas on several occasions, and once with a Blue Whale.  All of 
> > my encounters have been safe and lovely experiences.  
> > 
> > 
> > I know the Gray Whales the best, as there are eight residents here in 
> > my local waters, and we've become good friends in the last few years. 
> >  All of them will spend hours at a time with me (individually and/or 
> > as a group), and some will even allow me to scratch their beaks.  I 
> > tap a little "signature" rhythm on my deck, and they will often come 
> > say "hello" when they hear me.
> > 
> > I'll sometimes capsize when one approaches (so that I can 
> > see/experience the whole whale underwater), and it will come right up 
> > to me and allow me to touch it.  I've even gotten out of my boat and 
> > swam with them.  Really quite wonderful.  One of them likes to gently 
> > push the bow of by boat around in circles.  Each has it's particular 
> > personality, and patterns of "social behavior".
> > 
> > Even the local mother whales will trust me to "babysit" their young 
> > ones when they're off eating.  I'll sometimes spend hours paddling 
> > slowly alongside a baby, and later, it's mother will come back, and 
> > they'll swim off together.
> > 
> > 
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