Talon is facing us her blowhole is closed (in a relaxed mode the nostrils are closed they must be pulled open). When she "blew" it was a pretty moist intense experience!
Meanwhile the shy whale spent most of its time below the surface and behind Talon. At one point it seemed to gain some courage and we could see it dive under
Talon and move in close to us "standing" upright about ten feet beneath the surface, it seemed to be looking up at us through the water. Then it swung itself to a horizontal position, and turned sweeping back under Talon. It did all this maneuvering in tight quarters without so much as brushing Talon. When it came to the surface to blow, Talon between us again.
1986 First meeting with Talon 7/9/86 #4
After a while she dove and we could see her white flippers glowing a beautiful green beneath the surface of the nutrient rich water. Everybody hung over the side following her as she led them to the stern of the boat. The stern was closer to the water with lower rails and people had a more intimate view of her as she slowly rose to the surface, her blow so close that we were sprayed with the mist.
She waggled her head back and forth above the water, spy hopping, turning this way and that perhaps to get a better view of us or give us a better one of her. She was SO close to the outstretched hands but knew in some uncanny way what was JUST out of reach. I am constantly amazed at how self aware whales appear to be. Again and again I have seen how well they know where every inch of their 45 foot body and 15 foot flippers are. Brushing gently by one another, or keeping us at just the right distance!
We set up turns and a buddy system so everyone had a chance at the rail and the person behind them hung onto their belts so they wouldn't topple in.
She waggled her head back and forth above the water, spy hopping, turning this way and that perhaps to get a better view of us or give us a better one of her. She was SO close to the outstretched hands but knew in some uncanny way what was JUST out of reach. I am constantly amazed at how self aware whales appear to be. Again and again I have seen how well they know where every inch of their 45 foot body and 15 foot flippers are. Brushing gently by one another, or keeping us at just the right distance!
We set up turns and a buddy system so everyone had a chance at the rail and the person behind them hung onto their belts so they wouldn't topple in.
1986 First Meeting with Talon 7/9/1986 #3
For the first 5 minutes or so, Talon lay under and perpendicular to the boat, "resting" quietly her blowhole visible just below the surface on the starboard side and her dorsal and flukes stretched out on the port side! The boat is probably 20' across. Her tail began to sway back and forth and we could see her flesh jiggle when we ran across to look at her big face..... was she using the boat to scratch her back? Would she lift us out of the water??? Nah ... actually we didn't feel the boat jiggle.... she was big but we were bigger and a lot heavier.
At one point she rolled slightly sideways looking straight up at us through the water. We could clearly see her eye and the protruberance that it rests in and is protected by. To be looked in the eye by a whale with curiosity, humor even... well it makes you realize how overused the word awesome is.
At one point she rolled slightly sideways looking straight up at us through the water. We could clearly see her eye and the protruberance that it rests in and is protected by. To be looked in the eye by a whale with curiosity, humor even... well it makes you realize how overused the word awesome is.
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