Hello everyone, it's Danielle back from another amazing day on the water. This morning we had our very special North Atlantic right whale trip and special was it ever! It took us just over 2 hours to get out to where we needed to be and our first sight of a right whale was a mom and calf pair. The top photo below shows a calf touching his or her mom on her rostrum with "his" pectoral flipper. We spent about 10 minutes with this pair then moved on to a single whale who was logging at the surface. After a nice dive (fluke shot on the left) we saw another cow/calf pair and made our way over.....and I'm so happy we did (continue below for more)!
We stayed with this mom and calf pair for over an hour, we drifted over 2 miles to the northeast and they both stayed with us.....so close. The top photo here is the calf and the next 2 down are the mom. I have sent the photos to the an expert at the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station in hopes of getting an ID. Right whales are identified by their callosites, the unique roughened patches of skin on their head.
This photo is of mom, the white part in the bottom of the photo is the bow of the Quoddy Link!
I have included 6 video clips of this experience, I know it is a little much and you really don't have to watch all of them but I just wanted to share this experience with you. And....Yes, that is me crying again in the background...On our way back home we stopped to get a look at a basking shark, the 2nd largest fish in the world!
I really can't even put it into words what this right whale trip was like....to be so close, for so long, with a mom and her calf, to watch her nurse....it was an experience I will never, ever forget and such a privilege to spend time with an animal whose world wide numbers are less than 350. Thank You to all who joined us on this amazing experience!
Check back soon for more updates from Quoddy Link Marine.
Before I sign off for the day I want to send a big CONGRATULATIONS to Peter and Sara Morrison who were married today! Congrats you guys....Love your Quoddy Link Family!
Am sending your blog to friends!! Trying to explain in words what we saw yesterday just doesn't do it but your amazing pictures are worth a thousand words. Your sentiment at seeing something so rare is what I also feel. To know that we share the world with such beauty!!! Our experiences on the Quoddy Link will be those memories we look back on in our rocking chairs!!!! Thanx Danielle. The Quoddy Link will NOT be the same without YOU!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDeborah