Humpback Encounters
Here's how these humpback encounters typically go. On a calm day, we can see the whale's waterspout from miles away. If they are upwind of us in a gentle breeze, the first thing Jay notices is a strong, stinky smell. So, imagine if all you ate was fish. It is herring for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 60 years. On top of that, you don't have a way to brush your baleen between meals. Your breath would likely be very "smishy” (to use Scott's new word). Sometimes the smell is our first encounter with a humpback. If all three of us smell it, we know humpbacks are close by even though we haven't seen one yet. Next, we notice Jay standing with his head in the air. We scan all directions, but especially directly in front of the boat. Usually, one surfaces a few hundred yards away. Jay barks when he hears a blow. Kelly and I quickly try to figure out if we need to change course to give them space. Only once or twice have they popped up a hundred feet away. Needless...
