Picking my first photo to post was a tough decision. So, I decided to just go with one of my favorites from a recent trip to Victoria, BC.
It was October 12, 2010 and just two days earlier I had run my second marathon. So on this day I was definitely looking to do something that didn’t require much walking! We set out in the early afternoon with about a dozen other folks on a small whale watching boat. During the three hour tour, we encountered a large number of whales – a gray whale, five humpbacks, and a pod of six or seven orcas. We also saw numerous sea lions, harbor seals, elephant seals, some Dall’s porpoises, and even a bald eagle. While each encounter was amazing in its own right, I think my favorites were the orcas.
People who have known me for many years may recall that there was a time in my life when I had aspirations of being a wildlife biologist, specifically studying wolves. Watching that pod of orcas traveling together, teaching the young calf how to hunt, reminded me of some of the traits one may find in a pack of wolves. The sheer beauty of watching these gorgeous creatures gracefully gliding through the calm waters was truly breathtaking.
This picture is of an orca “spyhopping,” a maneuver it’s believed enables them to survey their surroundings. I was lucky enough to catch this one right at the peak of its lunge out of the water.
I’m not sure where this blog will take me, but I do plan on enjoying the journey.
