Ever try to take a picture of a sea lion feeding frenzy?
This time of year, off the SoCal coast, the whales are returning to Alaska from Mexico, and whale watching tours are a way of life. It’s fun to have a leisurely luncheon overlooking one of the harbors, then hop on a boat that takes you onto the whale highway. They’re never too far off the coast, which is why we have our local whale watching parade to celebrate their return.
So that’s what we did last week. The boats can locate sea creatures simply by watching where the pelicans and gulls are diving… because that’s where the fish are. And wherever large schools of fish are, all the other creatures show up. The sea lions were in a feeding frenzy when we arrived. They look like giant slugs on shore, but in the water, those suckers are fast! Then, of course, the dolphins joined in. They are so graceful leaping through the waters, and they love to play in the boat’s wake. We were told that if we see a hundred on the surface, there are probably three times that many that we can’t see.
And then there they were… the blows of three fin whales, the second largest creature on the planet! They’re not as graceful as the dolphins when they surface, but they are magnificent creatures. Of course, I didn’t even try to get photos. They’re gone before I can focus. I guess I need to learn to video…
Have you bought your copy of The Secrets of Wycliffe Manor yet? Book Three, The Bones in the Orchard, will be out in a few weeks. The books stand alone (unlike the dolphins and sea lions!) but it’s fun to watch the characters grow and the manor transform with them!