Today we went whale watching. Whale-watching's right up there with swimming with dolphins in the List of Things You Ought To Do Before You Die. I have to say, it's never been a burning ambition of mine, but, given that we're living right on the Indian Ocean at the time of year when the humpback whales are migrating back south to their feeding grounds (having swam north to give birth to their young) it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up on...
...now, I'm sure you're familiar with amazing footage of whales rising vertically up out of the ocean, or smashing their tail fluke against the waves: well, it wasn't quite like that!
Noah slept through the whole trip, which meant that he saw marginally less than the rest of us. Susie felt pretty sea-sick - the sea was choppy - but managed not to vomit in the bag provided to every passenger just-in-case. Jo and I faired a little better, but those whales were shy today. The water-spout more-or-less in the middle of the photo is about as much as we got to see.
But then - and I hope I'm not just trying to rationalise-away disappointment here - I actually quite like the idea that there are things that God has created that I haven't seen, and won't. At the end of the day, that seems a bigger and healthier perspective to me.
HI Andrew and Jo
ReplyDeleteChristine Bates and I are sitting having a glass of wine (english would you believe) and were wondering how you're doing. So we've read your blog and are now praying for a home and a whale. Christine says you need to go to Boston to see whales - I guess they're just shy in OZ or maybe waiting for Noah to wake up! lol Anne Mac
yes, I can believe it was english wine, as, had it been decent wine I could not imagine you two having only a glass of it!
ReplyDeleteLovely to hear from you - come round again soon (bring a bottle). I know various friends in Sheffield look in from time to time, but it always blesses us when they leave a message.
Apparently by November there is an easterly wind here more often (the prevailing wind is westerly, causing rough seas), so we should have gone later in the season to experience a calm ocean...it's always great when people ive you such advice after the event!