“Speaking Of Under the Sea…"

Prehistoric oceans would have been interesting to paddle in. The animals in prehistory just seem so vicious. I’m not sure how long a kayak or kayaker would have survived on the surface with creatures like this beneath them.

This gigantic prehistoric ’turtle’ took up half the ceiling of this museum room. This was a very big museum room at the Museum of Natural History in Ottawa. I don’t know if it is a relative to an Ocean Sea Turtle and by the size of the monster I would just say it ate all the other turtles…..all the other things in general. The flippers on that were two of me and I’m 6ft 1in. Niccccccee turtle.

I don’t know but anything with a long neck like this underwater prehistoric something or other just scares me. I Don’t know what it is about long necks but they always seem to have sharp teeth at the end of them. Ok, maybe Giraffes aren’t so bad but they don’t swim either. This guy stretched into two rooms including his tail. Yup, he swam!! Some serious paddling going on with this under your hull I bet. No jiggin’ for this laddy O’!

You all know this fellow. BIG AND BAD looking but not a whole lot of teeth. He/she  can be a paddling buddy. This one took up two full rooms and you’ve guessed it, A Blue Whale skeleton. Very big still by prehistoric standards. He could be a Jurassic spin off if you ask me, minus the viciousness!

Now just in case it wouldn’t bother you having those creatures above swimming freely under your hull imagine the beautiful prehistoric gulls on top. This isn’t a gull. It looks like it could run on top of water to me and then once it had its way with your hatch covers and cockpits and the soft bits inside…then fly away licking and cleaning it’s nails, ahh daggers,  ah spikes, ah razors or whatever those taloned winged and legged things are. Another long neck with teeth. Now imagine about a 100 or so of these coming at ya. This definitely brings new meaning to the word ”flock”. Like I’d be flocking off!!! I’m thinkin’ maybe an inboard-outboard in the hull might be more appropriate for back then.

"Orca and The Sky"

Above the Grand Hall at the Museum of Civilization on level 2 is this carving of an Orca directly below a skylight. It is a Haida carving from British Columbia and the skylight above cast a very nice light on the revered mammal below. Though this was a tranquil mood and beautiful art I couldn't help be taken back to this past summer when Orcas visited our area and fed on whales. Some of those sessions were caught on tape by tourists on tour boats looking to observe the mammals in the wild. May have gotten more than they bargained for but it was some unbelievable "wildness" as shards of whale flesh was being strewn about the waters. 

Orcas are an amazing animal on our planet, and their is no doubt, by most on this I am sure. They are mystical and magical to a few cultures around the world and they continue to awe us as they slice through the waters in perfect formation in their pods. Their fine form and sleek anatomy lends itself to the marvels of harmonious biological architecture and body ratios that make it a killing machine. We've seen this time and again even in captivity, maybe, especially in captivity.

I've seen them in pods, up close and from a distance in British Columbia. If last year is any indication, they may be regularly making their way, at least the transients, to this part of the world. Their were I believe at least two separate pods identified here maybe more. Unlike Humpbacks that frequent our waters every year I feel a bit more trepidation if I were to paddle near a pod of Killers. : D

I'd still be in awe and admiration, because I don't think they attack kayakers or kayaks, but a little less reluctant to stick my hand under water for that underwater approach shot.

Humpback On The Surface

Sun Bathing

So Saturday was a beautiful sunny day. How fitting for a community called Sunnyside. We were however in Bull Arm kayaking. It certainly proved to be the place to be. Yesterday I posted about a Humpback encounter and a wonderful underwater display he put on for Tony and I. Today you can see his topside show of curiosity, bewilderment, playfulness and perhaps communication. Certainly whatever was going on was very moving to say the least.

Coming closer to investigate we began to get a good impression of the size of this whale. Right then he is just sizing us up. With a few sprays from his blowhole we got to feel him as much as see him.

He bobbed up and down getting a glimpse at eye level for us both. Too bad for the water droplet but you get a good perspective of the size of his head. A small portion of his head.

Still there??

He seemed to understand that I wasn't going anywhere. He wanted to be sure I guess that I ws harmless. I wasn't moving perhaps he thought I was an injured fish not a foe.

I'll just roll over a few times to see what you look like upside down.....

Are you sure you know how big I am and where my blowhole is?

Ok, Ok,  you know, but did you know that I can roll too? Watch!

I have an offside roll as well.............

and since you appear to be so still and not moving, I'll clap for my own performance. Thank you...thank you very much!

I'm going to wind up for my curtain call......don't be too alarmed .....but you probably will....

of course I sure was as he maneuvered around me to his own tune. Flickung his tail gently at my boat and stretching out so that his whole length was extended across the water surface showing his flukes in the front and his belly and tail closer to me. The waves he created right beside me were gentle and didn't require any kind of bracing. It was as if he knew. His control was impeccable and his ability to read our situation was astounding. I was at a loss at this point for anything other than total amazement. What a spectacle, how privleged I felt to have been able to witness and be part of this wonderful encounter and sit at home each day now and wonder really what it meant.

Of course like a fighter pilot tipping his wing at a target he let go on land, this humpback actually submerged so that just a part of his tail fin was exposed and meandered around a bit in that stance like a shrk fin on the surface of the ocean, as if to say, "see you, I know you are here but now so are you aware of all of me."  I can only thank the whale gods for all of everything Tony and I were witness to on Saturday. Off he went to the otherside of the arm. We did not engage him as he left. Later we tried but he was busy with his own activities and had obviously figured us out but left us with lots to talk about and figure out for ourselves. What more can be said other than please treat these animals with respect as we did and I hope that you someday may have this magical experience to share with others too.

My Hull

My attractive kayak hull. The whale probably was admiring all the scratches thinking they were perhaps scars like on his own body. Maybe not but the hull does look fishy.

Humpedback Whale: A Whale's Tale

A Whale's Tale

Tony and I wanted to paddle on Saturday past. I suggested a paddle originally from Bellvue Beach to Bull's Arm. We settled on Bull's Arm at the top of the isthmus that connects the Avalon Peninsula to the rest of Newfoundland. It is a typical Newfoundland outport with character, charm and of course Newfoundland hospitality evident straight from our put-in. Senior Hiscock of the community was very helpful and generous in allowing us to enter near his staging From then on it was simply adventure and a most awesome paddle with lots of wildlife above and below water and warm weather to sharpen the trip. 

The word leviathan is pretty much synonymous with a large sea monster or creature. It is the modern Hebrew name for whale I believe. Today we came eye to eye so to speak with one such leviathan, the Humpedback Whale, on our paddle. Every cent and every hour ever spent on kayaking to this point in my life  was worth it, for the moments of this day.

I don't think he came out of no where as we heard his blow hole earlier. I also felt several times his blow hole spray when he was maneuvering around me on the waters' surface. Ithought it would smell fishy, as I heard it did, but I couldn't smell anything but the salt water.When he did come he came as a huge graceful  monolith. Slithering beneath me I felt totally frighted and in awe at the same time. I wasn't sure what his behavior would be but his persistance allowed me time to photograph some of his magnificent movements under and very near me.

I really didn't realise his size until his back at one point was right beside my kayak. He seemed attracted to it. Perhaps because of the color. I'll post an under water shot of the boat hull at the end. He also surfaced many times right beside me. Flicking his tail ever so gently for the colossal size and resting his huge head parrallel to the side of my kayak in the water. The above water shots I will post another time but his underwater show was just as spectacular to me.

From various angles he studied me and i him. I felt he was trying to communicate something. Maybe ...just get the hell out of here....but it did not feel like that at all.

I tried in vain to figure out what was going on. I dare not move my kayak I was spell bound and totaaly enthralled in this display. I wasn't scared he was observing me for so long. Even poking his head up like a seal right beside me and looking me in the eyes. I felt so small and humbled. For a time I felt part of the food chain. I know Humpedbacks don't attack humans

 but his size was very diminsihing to me.

He was either playing with me or courting my kayak. His on water behavior was even more peculiar in his display of unconventional positions and movements. Well at least unconventional to what we normally see as his feeding behaviours. I wasn't moving, he could have departed, but choose to stay and reveal his playful antics.

Strangely enough I had just watched one of those corny Jaws movies last week. With this in the back of my mind I looked over and saw him rising not quite as quickly as the hair on the back of my neck I might add but rising and then rolling over exposing his underside and flukes as he glided beneath my boat. It was simply amazing and something I've never experienced before.

His gigantic size cannot truely be appreciated here but though he was probably meters beneath me he felt everywhere. I just couldn't surmise what he might do next. So I just kept sticking my arm in the water with the camera attached hoping for the best and being entertained on a scale that has no comparisons.

I knew there was an end in sight and surely he'd soon tire of me and my boat. That was a close encounter of a whale kind and a whale tale I shall cherish for times to come. I shall never forget this day, the sunshine, the whale, my humility, my humanness and the sharing of it with my pal Tony Roestenberg. What a friggin' day Tony!

"Got'em"

 

Today we had a most excellent paddle in Cape Broyle trying to capture some pictures of a Humpedback we heard was in the area. He was there alright but very elusive as he continued his feeding. We at first chased him all around the harbour. At least that is what it felt like to me. To him we were so far off that he probably didn't see us as we were following his blow hole sprays from a distance. We did at one point see him breech, twist in the air and land on his back causing a tremendous splash, of course we were to far away to get it on camera. What a spectacular sight though. As we returned up the harbour we spotted him heading back to the harbour mouth right in front of us. He passed just to the left of Tony's boat and I was just able to catch his dorsal fin and wave beore he dropped below. The wind was gusting hard at this point but I was getting him on a picture come hell or cold Broyle water. You can see him just to the left as he passes by Tony's kayak.

"Humpbacked Duo"

 I guess if you are dining out you might as well have company! Here two Humpback's are gracefully slithering back to the depths in St. John's Bay feeding on capelin that may still be littering the waters and providing food for these monoliths. These two probably mother and offspring, were around the area for about an hour and more.

"The Blow Hole"

 The Blow Hole is quite visible on this Humpbacked Whale. There was a bunch out in force the other day. They are feeding around the St. John's area and have been for the last month or so. They are amazing to watch but they are not the only whales here this year. There are Minke, Fin, Blue and even Killer whales spotted this year already. Greg Stamer actually had a close up with a sizeable shark on his journey around NL. There must be lots of food for these animals to be here.

"Pothead"

May or may not be what ya think. Globicephala melaena. This is not a dinosaur. Of course when I saw the sign "Pothead Whale"...I had to investigate.The pilot whale gets it's local name from its round pot-shaped head.

In late summer or arly autumn you can find these toothed whales in the bays of Conception, Trinity and Bonnavista chasing the squid. Potheads are dark black and have a long curved dorsal fin. They measure about 3 meters and can weight up to three tons. Up t0 50,000 of these whales can come to the waters from the winter habitat of the grand banks. I am not very sure how accurate the literature is that I got this figure from however.

This picture was taken at "The Rooms" which is kind of a gallery, museum, and possibly convention complex in downtown St. John's.

"Adopted Killer"

 
Tonight our Kayaking Club hosted a talk by Dr. Jack Lawson, a research scientist at DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans), on whales and how we as kayakers should or should not interect with these mammals and how we can also help with regards to "Codes of Conduct" and reporting sitings especially with photographs. The talk covered most whales that frequent our waters in the North Atlantic at different times of the year. The talk was very informative and of course Dr. Lawson very knowledgeable. New insight about whales, their feeding, mating and communication behaviors was gained.
I've always had an interest in them and in 2002 I adopted one in a program out of the Vancouver Museum in Britih Columbia whose monies were used to help fund research and such for the West Coast Transients and Resident Killer Whales.

The whale I adopted at the time name was Nimpkish(A33),named after the Nimpkish River, which flows into the Johnston Strait of Port McNeill, is an adult male killer whale thought to have been born in 1971. He's the son of Scimitar(A12), and has a younger sister, Simoom(A34). An older brother, Putteney (A31), died in 1997. Nimpkish is an uncle to Somoonm's four calves: nephew Echo(A55), born in 1990, nieces Misty(A62), born in 1993, and Eclipse(A67), born in 1996, and new baby Stormy(A74), born in late 2000.

The photo above is off Nimpkishs' dorsal fin that is used to identify killer whales, it is the pic they send you when you adopt.

"Whale Back"

A whale back , NL, Petty Harbour.

"Whale Of A Tail"

All I got of this guy was his tail. Petty Harbour, NFLD. A Humpback I believe.

Whales

This pic is not about whales, I am teaching my son to kayak in home town of Canso, Nova Scotia.

I have included some whale links on my blog because I find them fascinating. So much so that a few years ago I adopted a resident whale thru a program offered out of a museum in Vancouver for killer whale research. His name was Nimpkish of the clan A and A1 pod his number is A33. When you donate money to this worthwhile cause they send you a picture which consists of the dorsal fin since this is how they identify them. Every dorsal fin being different on each whale. They also send a newsletter called the Blackfish Sounder and a CD with some interesting whale sounds. Check out the links.
I did some kayaking around the Gulf Islands, off the BC coast and had the distinct pleasure to witness a huge pod one evening during a beautiful sunset at our take-out site as we were having our supper sitting on a log and looking out thru the pass. If you ever get the chance, this is a must do. Best "take-out" I ever had.