Whales and more!
"This was toward the end of July, in the very brightest and best of Alaska summer weather when the icy mountains towering in the pearly sky were displayed in all their glory, and the islands at their feet seemed to float and drowse on the shining mirror waters...And yonder glistening amid the irised spray, is a still more striking revelation of warm life in the so-called howling waste--a half-dozen whales, their broad backs like glaciated bosses of granite heaving aloft in near view, spouting lustily, drawing a long breath, and plunging down home in colossal health and comfort." John Muir, Travels in Alaska
Click Here For Whale Video
Humpback hump
"Pec slapping"
Here's the backdrop to this whale extravaganza
One magical night to remember we were in the midst of "a mess of whales"--they were everywhere! The trick was trying to decide where to point our cameras.
Captain Dennis told us it was oh, so rare to be in the midst of this number of these magnificent marine mammals!
Blowhole coming in!
Finally, Dave captured a breaching whale--this one may have been doing it serially. We did see one whale leaping entirely out of the water--what an astounding sight that these massive animals can do that!
It's so difficult to describe what this mystical evening was like, but this scene does it pretty well.
