Call Me Ishmael Fredrick Sound by Bob Carter Fog. Thick and white and laying like a lover upon the sea. I stand at Sandy Beach and breathe it in. For days torrential rains pounded this good land flooding streams and soaking both man and beast. Thankfully now for a brief respite the sun offers it face to the land and sea. I haul my boat and gear down the beach weaving amid the rocks and tidal pools. Low tide and fog conspire to hide the waters edge. Finally wondering through the mist I find the cold waters of the sea and launch into the white mist. The sea quickly offers a wonderful surprise. Fifty yards off shore I emerge from the fog into a clear blue sky and deep blue sea. What a beautiful day! White Winged Scoters scurry across the surface and Herring Gulls lull lazy upon the still waters. A sea lion cruises by heading to the colony that hauls out on the marker buoys at the mouth of the Wrangell Narrows. High upon the mountains I see termination dust. The first snow of fall. It will not be long till snow covers this land and I will hang up the kayak and strap on the snow shoes. Ah, which way to go? North to Five Mile Creek to check for bears? East to the Marble Islands to wander amid the Ice bergs? South to Fredrick Point for perhaps a little bit of both? Decisions, decisions. South it shall be, for no other reason then I have not been down this way for a little bit. The still surface reveals wonders below. Opaque Jelly fish slowly pulsate moving silently with the tide. Marbled Murrelets dive and fly under water for tasty fish. A Bald Eagle flies over head and I watch her reflection in the water and imagine her to be a fish with wings swimming below. The beach reveals her wonders also. A Raven notes my passage and calls out from the forest. A deer and her fawn graze amid the exposed sea grasses. Whoosh! Whoosh! I look at the fog bank ahead and see two Humpback Whales surface. Their plumes of hot breath silhouette against the fog creating a surreal portrait of life upon the sea. My heart beats faster and my soul rejoices. I pull out my camera, strap it around my neck and begin the guessing came I love to play with whales. Were will they surface next and where can I be in the best position for the picture? I aim off to the East hoping to frame a picture of the whale with the fog in the background. My kayak glides smoothly cutting the water effortlessly. The sun shines warm and bright and I am seeking whales. Life just cant get better. Whoa! I feel the back of my boat being lifted up! It is said in a crisis moment time slows down. I think instead when placed in peril sometimes our minds quicken and thoughts come faster. I know in half a heart beat what is happening, I am being surfed on the wave of a whale coming up from behind me. I look to my left and see my fate. A foot beside me the black mottled skin of a whales nose surge by. I jerk my paddle up as the blow hole breaks the surface. Bulk! I know the bulk of the whale is behind me coming up fast! Out of the corner of my eye I see an explosion of white water and a black dorsal fin rise into the sky. Slam! I am catapulted upward! I feel the boat roll to my right! Brace! a voice screams in my head! I throw a brace to my right! Not gonna work! I realize that this is not a fluid wave that is rolling me over but forty tons of solid flesh, blubber and bone! I surrender the brace, tuck and plunge nearly head first into the sea! The impact pulls me half way out of the boat. I know am not rolling from this position so I pop the spray skirt and thrust out of the cockpit. Thoughts cascade and surround me. Cold! Green water. Salty taste. So much for that camera. Get to the surface! Dont let go of the paddle! Sunlight! Air! I am on the surface! Vulnerable! I have got to get back into the boat fast! Not that 65 pounds of fiberglass is much protection. I grab the cockpit of my kayak and quickly flip it upright. As I do I see the dorsal of the second whale sliding by only two feet on the other side of the boat. I jerk my legs up to keep from getting wacked by the tail and hold the boat fast as his wake tries to throw the boat back on top of me. Next I run the drill I have practiced many times. I grab the paddle float from being my cockpit and thrust the paddle blade into it. Next I jam the other blade into the bungee cords behind my cockpit forming an outrigger. I seal hop myself up on to the back of the boat and begin to slide my feet into the cockpit. Suddenly I start laughing! I am not sure why. Maybe the release of stress and adrenaline. Perhaps my heart beat catching up with my situation or purely the laughter of surprise? In truth it is probably the absurdly of the situation. I just got flipped by a whale and lived to tell about it! Call me Ishmael. I scramble back into my cockpit and begin to pump the water out as fast as I can all the while wondering where the whales have gone too. I hear blows to my left and see the whales moving away. Keep going guys. I dont think I can survive another round. I go to put my spray skirt back on and find it twisted half way around my body. I pull the camera off my neck and water pours out like a sieve. Oh well. I move to shore to access the damage. I count fingers, examine my paddle, boat and gear. Fingers -ten, paddle unbroken, boat scratched and a bit of gel coat chipped. Boots still on but my cap is missing. The whales sound farther out in Fredrick Sound. I bail out my boots and set back out to sea to find my cap. I like that cap. I return to the scene of the crime and find my beloved cap floating quietly on the tide awaiting for my return. Everything accounted for I paddle on down to City Creek and pull in for lunch. First things first. I spread my wet gear out in the sun. I wring the water out of my socks and pour the water out of my boots. I settle down for lunch basking in the warm sun. What happened? Did the whale attack to protect her child or was it as simple as me being in the wrong place at the wrong time? I finally conclude the later. The second whale was smaller but not a calf. Also it was behind her so I doubt she saw me as a threat to it. Plus she side swiped me rather than hitting me broadside. If she had wanted to end my threat to her child I would not be sitting here eating a roast beef sandwich. I put a few vital clues together. First at the time it was close to low tide and I was not far from shore. Earlier I notice birds feeding near shore rather than out I the deep. Perhaps the feed was concentrated in the shallows and the hungry whales were lured in by hunger. I recall now that when I first saw these whales she was close to shore and creating an unusual wake as if she were thrashing about. I think in the midst of her feeding suddenly found herself in shallow water and was trying to move quickly to deeper water. Unfortunately I was in her way! In surfacing to avoid the undulating bottom she slammed into me. At least I hope I am right. In a war between kayaks and whales, fiberglass looses quickly to flesh and blubber. I make my way home thankful to be unhurt and alive. Grateful that when the whale rose up under me that instead of panicking I thought myself through the situation. Thankful for the many miles upon the sea with all it surprises and storms that prepared me for that moment. After all calm seas do not teach us near as much as does the storm. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Gee, Bob, I always worry about this happening when I'm around whales, but I figured it wouldn't ever REALLY happen! Not sure I like knowing it really can! Still, what better memory can you have and still live through something! Mark Sanders On 9/22/2012 1:32 PM, Robert Carter wrote: > > What happened? > Did the whale attack to protect her child or was it as simple as me > being in the wrong place at the wrong time? I finally conclude the > later. The second whale was smaller but not a calf. Also it was behind > her so I doubt she saw me as a threat to it. Plus she side swiped me > rather than hitting me broadside. If she had wanted to end my threat > to her child I would not be sitting here eating a roast beef sandwich. > I put a few vital clues together. First at the time it was close to > low tide and I was not far from shore. Earlier I notice birds feeding > near shore rather than out I the deep. Perhaps the feed was > concentrated in the shallows and the hungry whales were lured in by > hunger. I recall now that when I first saw these whales she was close > to shore and creating an unusual wake as if she were thrashing about. > I think in the midst of her feeding suddenly found herself in shallow > water and was trying to move quickly to deeper water. Unfortunately I > was in her way! In surfacing to avoid the undulating bottom she > slammed into me. At least I hope I am right. In a war between kayaks > and whales, fiberglass looses quickly to flesh and blubber. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I have spent a lot of time around whales and have had some close encounter moments. This is the first time one has made contact! It obviously could have been a lot worse. Ultimately risk is a part of boats upon the sea. I can't speak for everyone but for me the risk is worth the experience of seeing whalers upon the sea. Bob On 9/22/2012 3:12 PM, Mark Sanders wrote: > Gee, Bob, I always worry about this happening when I'm around whales, > but I figured it wouldn't ever REALLY happen! Not sure I like knowing > it really can! > Still, what better memory can you have and still live through something! > > > Mark Sanders *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I have had a few whales "check me out". In fact there was a young one who seemed to be especially curious of boats big and small around here a couple summers ago. This was the first collision I had heard of as far as kayaks go. Thanks for your affirmation about it being an accident (a fluke?). Still think that was what happened. Should make a good campfire story as long as my mother doesn't get wind of it. She worries a bit. Bob On 9/22/2012 8:16 PM, pat baird wrote: > > Mine is not a kayak story, but rather a whale one... In Prince William > Sound (before the Exxon Valdez spill), I had a humpback whale go under > my stopped Zodiac and come up the other side and just hang out. If > s/he had wanted to upset us, s/he could have. S/he definitely saw us > and looked up at us; then swam off. I think your assessment is > completely correct. But great story, Bob, and what an experience for > you. Makes for good story-telling around the fire in the winter... > > thanks for sharing > > Pat Baird *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:56 PDT