We were up bright and early this morning as we drove to Monterey Bay for some whale watching. I think we were both feeling a little like characters out of Moby Dick!
Our tour was scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. so we had a bite of breakfast at the condo and headed for pier and the boat.
The wharf was only about 20 minutes away from where we lived, so the drive was both short and pleasant. The early morning traffic of which there is virtually none was over.
We had to park a pretty good distance from where we were to embark, so we were able to take our time getting there since we left the house early.
We had to park a pretty good distance from where we were to embark, so we were able to take our time getting there since we left the house early.
We had made our reservations over the phone the day before, but Frank still had to get in line to sign in and verify the fact that we were there.
They said that they had seen a lot of whales the day before, so we were excited about taking this 3 hour trip around the bay area. You never really know if this was true or just a good way to fill the boat up!
The docks were filled with boats which were filled with people who were ready to get a closer look at some of nature's largest mammals. Originally, people thought that whales were very large fish because their bodies have a similar shape to that of fish. However, in 1778, a Swedish biologist by the name of Linneus, recognized that whales were not fish but mammals. They share some common characteristics of all mammals.
The docks were filled with boats which were filled with people who were ready to get a closer look at some of nature's largest mammals. Originally, people thought that whales were very large fish because their bodies have a similar shape to that of fish. However, in 1778, a Swedish biologist by the name of Linneus, recognized that whales were not fish but mammals. They share some common characteristics of all mammals.
As we pulled away from the dock, the noise of the seals was almost deafening. They were everywhere and were letting it be known that this was their territory, not ours.
This little fellow thought he was the sentinel for the Monterey Fish Company.
As we cruised along, there was another boat pretty close to us. So far we had not spotted any whales, but there were lookouts on both of our vessels so if there were whales in the area, our "leaders" would most certainly spot them and let us know about the sightings.
Suddenly, off in the distance, we saw a couple of sprays of water and up popped two humpback whales, swimming along together.
They swam along with us getting closer and closer for nearly an hour. They would come to the surface for just a brief moment, swim along together, and then when you see their tails, you know they will be gone for another 5-7 minutes. I believe they told us that they come up for air and then down they go again.
We got very excited as they continued to get closer to our boat. I was actually a little afraid as they are so large and we seemed so insignificant. What if they decided to ram the boat (I've seen too many movies with Orcas in them) ! We were assured that they would not do this, but that really wasn't all that reassuring for me. I'm a real chicken at heart.
When the spray appears from their blowholes you know that they are about to resurface again. we all kept our eyes pealed on the horizon and our cameras at the ready.
The process of them emerging and then submerging went on for nearly an hour and we were starting to run out of time as they had to get us back to shore to pick up the next load of passengers. We hadn't seen the pair for over 18 minutes, so we decided that they were through performing for us when, lo and behold ... one of them breached right before our very eyes. Thank goodness I had a good telephoto lens on my camera. It scared me to death but it was truly a sight to behold!
One of the most breathtaking things to watch is a whale "breaching," or leaping into the air. This is also known as "surfacing behavior." Not all whales breach. One species noted for spectacular displays of breaching is the humpback whale which are the ones that we had been watching.
Breaching of the humpback occurs when whales use their strong flukes and pectoral fins to thrust themselves out of the sea and then slam back into the water. Whale flukes are the powerful muscles in the whale's tail; the pectorals are two 15-foot side fins. One reason we were told that whales breach, could be to shake loose or dislodge exterior parasitic crustaceans. These parasites, including the whale louse, sinus flukes and barnacles, can eat through a whale's skin over time if not removed.
Our whaling expedition had been a complete success and we told all of the people on shore who were waiting to go on their expedition what we had seen. I hope that they were not disappointed!
When we docked we were greeted by more noisy little seals who had been waiting for us. Even though they seem to be a nuisance, they are really cute.
Breaching of the humpback occurs when whales use their strong flukes and pectoral fins to thrust themselves out of the sea and then slam back into the water. Whale flukes are the powerful muscles in the whale's tail; the pectorals are two 15-foot side fins. One reason we were told that whales breach, could be to shake loose or dislodge exterior parasitic crustaceans. These parasites, including the whale louse, sinus flukes and barnacles, can eat through a whale's skin over time if not removed.
Our whaling expedition had been a complete success and we told all of the people on shore who were waiting to go on their expedition what we had seen. I hope that they were not disappointed!
When we docked we were greeted by more noisy little seals who had been waiting for us. Even though they seem to be a nuisance, they are really cute.
It was now after 1:00 so we decided to have a bite to eat on the wharf. We found this charming place called Abolonetti Seafood. They had a patio where you could enjoy some great fish and a good glass of California wine, so that really fit the bill for us after our sail. It was located on the water in a perfect setting ... only steps away from where we had docked.
Our waiter seated us outside and the place was delightful, not to mention the excellent food. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, so we sat under our red umbrella and enjoyed the sea air.
Once again there was a dog who was thoroughly enjoying being with his masters as they enjoyed their lunch. The restaurant even furnished a water bowl for him!
We had seafood, wine and some of the most delicious bread that I have ever tasted. I'm normally not much of a bread eater, but this was unbelievable! Frank enjoyed fried Calamari and a beer
and I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and fish and chips. We had both made excellent choices.
After lunch we took a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk on our way back to the car.
There were places to eat with a wide variety of food all along the way but I think we made the best choice. It was a perfect meal for us after watching sea creatures all day. Not that we are carnivores, it just seemed like the thing to do when you're by the ocean.
As we got to the end of the pier that was close to our car, I spotted this apron and it expressed my sentiments exactly. Frank wouldn't let me buy it however for fear that I might wear it and at some point in time try to perform!
Since we didn't finish lunch until nearly 3:00 we decided to make a quick trip to Trader Joe's on the way home and buy sandwiches for dinner. It had been a great day and we were ready to take it easy the rest of the evening.
I hope that some day there will be a Trader Joe's in the Metroplex area. We shop there all the time when we are in Santa Fe and I can't believe that they are not anywhere in Texas. Probably because of our silly liquor laws here in the Bible Belt!
I hope that you enjoyed the whale watching as much as we did. Hopefully there will soon be more adventures posted on our California outing. Thanks again for coming along with us so far! We still have a little more time in Pacific Grove and then on to LA and Newport Beach!
I hope that you enjoyed the whale watching as much as we did. Hopefully there will soon be more adventures posted on our California outing. Thanks again for coming along with us so far! We still have a little more time in Pacific Grove and then on to LA and Newport Beach!
XOXO, Pcasso
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