It had been quite a trip. We are taking a late nap but here is the highlight of the trip. A pod of killer whales, with several babies, seen just at an overcast sunset. Often a mother following after a younger killer whale having too much fun.
Here is the fin of a giant killer whale, largest in the group of 10 or so we saw.
Sometimes the youngsters liked to come up together, like this double breach for air Linda saw.(click on the picture to see the two killer whales)
I had just had a seizure and was watching it all with one eye. Still a very good show and nice way to end the Safari.
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12 comments:
Oh, what a wonderful way to end a trip! It must have made waiting for to disboard the ferry much more tolerable, even pleasant, to have such a view as part of the passage.
Bummer about the no power...
I am so glad you got to see the pod of whales! I have seen them just about every crossing for the last month so I was really hoping you would see them.
Sleep well Sis...
just looked at an encyclopedia entry. Pretty interesting.
The females are the ones with the curved dorsal fin. The younglings are considered calves until they are two years old.
And, similar to humans, the female generally lives longer than the male (50 versus 30, on average).
Oh so lucky. I would almost give my left arm to see any kind of whales breaching. That ain't gonna happen here in the middle of the plains though.
Just looking at your pics gave my heart a surge of joy. I am so happy that you were able to get pics. If I could just twitch my nose and be there.
Victoria, no power? Good time to take a nap. I do hope that Linda got to take a nap with you. Take it easy tonight. You don't have to post if you dont feel like it. The whales were good for me.
Love you both,
Laura
I totally love Killer whales. One of the first books I can remember reading as a little girl was about them. You always get to see the neatest things Elizabeth. I really need to get out of my neck of the woods and see something interesting soon. I hope when we get to Estonia, I will be able to see something really different.
Glad that you saw the whales! I've only ever seen the fin & the tail slapping the water.
Sharon
Yes, despite our healthcare system in seeming tatters, we live in a spectacularly beautiful part of the world!
The power went out on all of Vancouver Island, south of Comox is all we have heard so far... I was at my friend's house making Thanksgiving dinner (turkey for him and son, tofu for me!) when poof! Luckily, everything was done - JUST. That is, except my tofu, of course!
That would get you stuck on the ferry, wouldn't it?! Glad you were rewarded with a treat from some amazing Orcas.
Since we are being Thankful here in Canada this weekend, I'd like to state here how thankful I am to have found you and your blog, Elizabeth, as well as your amazing group of friends here. Thanks everyone for your kindness, your willingness to engage and encourage... and laugh while you're doing it! You are all very special people whom I'm grateful to (virtually!) know.
Yanub: I had so often seen the pods before I became disabled but never after, so I wished, for all the stress the crossing causes me that I would be able to see them - they had a real, show, 5 or 6 breaching at the same time, others circling as seen by the fins. It was a real whale watching experience, only to come back to find someone unplugged the Capital city, and I was stuck on board.
Cheryl: Whenever I think Victoria can't get more surreal, it does. They were cleaning up after the Royal Victoria Marathon as we wheeled back, there were CASES of gatorade sitting waiting to be picked up by the organizers, I fought with the inner self and wheeled on.
After you mentioned seeing the whales, I hoped to see them too. They say due to late spawning of the salmon there are now three pods in the straits.
I slept with a nightmare!
Raccoon: The difference in the one picture between the two fins is pretty huge. And there was also a fin, in one of the circles (fish trapping I Think) that was light brown?
Wow, that is a significant extra lifespan. Thanks
Laura: I've seen humpbacks on the crossing as well, and Grey's up further north on Ferries, sometimes you get a pretty good value for your $10-12 ferry ticket. This was a very good sighting of whales and a good reminder that this is a partial wilderness (Thank goodness) and I hope it stays that way for a while.
As I said to Linda at the game park, when she told me not to put my elbows out the window to get a shot, "Oh, let them gnaw on the elbows for a while, I won't feel it!"
Shea: We had friends in the UK who went to Estonia and they enjoyed it so much they went back within six months so it must be a very beautiful place with a lot of cultural aspects.
But yeah, I'm lucky to live in the wild parts of the pacific northwest.
SharonMV: I think I did too, a long time ago - I was very happy the time I saw the humpback, as it is very distinctive with it breeches. See, you need to get up here and enjoy the show.
Lisa: There was MUCH ribbing about Victoria being out of power AGAIN (since it happened on Luminaria before last and other days), about how we are lucky we live in only a small war zone, or how, if this was the capital, we would be sure to get power (it is the capital). Linda says that's what happens when 300,000 turkeys try to be cooked all at once!
I told them if they had a ramp, I would take a chance on seeing if I could get enough speed to make it to the exit/entrance unit they need to extend to teh ship. They did not take me up on it.
I am thankful you found this blog, and that I get to read yours, and I hope we get to meet sometime. Also that many people have acted like family, since the last thanksgiving my parents participated in was at the Beacon Drive in. So I would rather be online, with friends, to be honest. Thanks
Yay! I finally got to see the pod of whales Cheryl kept seeing. Kind of made up for the family sitting behind me playing their native ceremonial drum/bells music through a tinny cassette player really loudly.
I think whales are amazing creatures. I've wanted to go on a whale watching tour but now there's no need - doesn't get much better than this!
beautiful country.
I would hang ot at the sea all the time if I lived there
So f---ing groovy!
The whales, not the seizure.
OMG! (she squeals) Orcas!!!
Thanks for posting those pics. I've always wanted to see them in the wild and this is the next best thing.
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