SunnysideOn June 5th Stan and I drove and hour and a half from St. John's to Sunnyside on the isthmus of the Avalon Peninsula. It was going to be an extraordinary day because we would have a close encounter of the third kind - with a whale.
Leaving Sunnyside We left Sunnyside behind, paddling out Bull Arm into a little lop. The day started out as a normal day paddle. Little did we know how things would unfold.
Coming to have a look We crossed over and stopped at Misquito Cove for a break. We got back in our boat and went on.
Stan blew on his whistle. I stopped to look back but he wasn't in trouble. I raised him on the VHF - "a whale" he said. It came along side and in about thirty seconds I looked down and I could see it directly underneath me. I froze. It rose. Maybe 2 metres in front of my bow. Our eyes met. Impossible to put into words the feeling I had. Spiritual, mystical ...
Words were not spoken but I know we communicated. I felt privileged. I felt connected.
Very close indeed We just sat in our boats and let the whale dictate the interaction. At times it would splash around putting on a show.
There's more to the eye Other times the whale hovered in the water with the top of its head just breaking the surface.
Ciao Stan The whale seemed to wave good-bye after it had seen enough of us. It was on its way out the Arm where we saw it was obviously feeding.
Oily calm Near the mouth of Bull Arm as it opens into Trinity Bay the sea was oily calm, islands floating in the water.
Looking back down Bull Arm Bull Arm is a narrow 11 kilometer long arm of the sea; Sunnyside is at the head of the Arm well off in the distance.
Bull Island Checking our position as we prepare to return.
End of day It was a long day and fulfilling day as we headed back to Sunnyside in the failing light of day. We'd be driving home in darkness, talking about the incredible day we had. We often see whales when they are around. They seldom come by up close and hang around. When they do its a mystical experience and that's why our Bull Arm paddle is in the number 2 slot.
dEFINITELY WORTH A REVISIT tONY. Great Paddle.
ReplyDeleteS.
Without a question Stan we should go back next year. Some of the guys camped on Bull Island when we were on the south coast. We might consider that and try to extend our whale watching. A most memorable day, especially the under water pictures you took.
ReplyDeleteTony :-)