Sitka
“It’s okay,” he said. “There are two more to your left.” More spouts and whale flukes were spotted. I saw firsthand the bubble nets they create to feed on krill, when dozens of swirls emerged to the surface like a hot tub had suddenly turned on. One whale in particular came up to the surface long enough to make eye contact with us. Another got close enough for us to smell its breath, which was not exactly minty fresh. I certainly got the photographs I wanted and then some, but it was being out there, on the water, in their presence that created the most lasting memory. Mari de Armas is a travel writer specializing in luxury cruising. She is a regular contributor to the official blog of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Luxury Goes Exploring. Read more of her posts at RSSC.com/Blog.
What is most interesting is that they have developed a cooperative way to hunt. Together, a few whales will swim in a shrinking circle, blowing bubbles and forcing the fish upward to trap them. Scientists have also noted that the way the whales exhale the bubbles also creates a loud and intense sound that also helps with the process because it stuns the fish (and, as you will read next, this human too). BACK IN SITKA A ripple in the water was followed by a roll, until a body breached the surface ever so gracefully, and then a powerful exhalation that echoed across the bay like a glacier calving. Boom! Ccchh! The water spouted straight into the air with such force that the droplets seemed to linger over us. “Did you get the shot?” the captain asked. The combination of awe at what I had witnessed with the balaclava over my face and mouth rendered me speechless, so I answered him by shrugging my shoulders.
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