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K-man
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Post by K-man »

http://www.montereybaywhalewatch.com/feat0002.htm

More cool orca stuff....[At least I think so]
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Last edited by ScottMac on Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Coldsalt
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Post by Coldsalt »

Fast forward to January; I've only known Don, "Iceman" for about three days now. A stoic quiet man quick to show a warm smile. I was happy to set up the boat trip. We got a late morning start and the wind was not in the right direction. Tide was the only reliable factor in our search. The swell was to be from the south and small. Still, the south swell is enough to make the trip, even if the wind was going to be side shore and give the walls of cold energy a lumpy face.
As we left the harbor with the boards bungied across the back like a "Tuff Box" in back of a truck. the wind was in the exact opposite direction the forecast had promised and made for a bumpy ride out. I fully expected to see the right side of the reef going off given the tide. With the wide from the east south east the right was all the way blown-out.
The lefts had farly consistant chest high inside sets and the "out the back woopers" were every bit of head +, but much less frequent. As we set the anchor it was painfully obvious that the wind was not going to change direction and we would have to make the best with the sideshore-onshore.
Iceman was riding a 7'9", pulling smooth turns and cruising for the longer second wave of the set. That warm smile only got bigger after every trip to the channel and didn't fade after the 200yrd paddle back. My 6'8"quad fin was letting me in early and as the wind slowed to almost nothing at all, I couldn't justify going back to the boat to get the camera. Finally my winter fat got the best of my arms and I pulled the bodyboard and fins out off the boat. Equipped with a water-proof disposable I headed back out as the wind picked up again.
After a few waves Iceman said "Hey, I think I'll take the next one back to the boat".
I only smiled and positioned my self a little deeper inside the impact zone(20' away from my new surf buddy). My feet were cold and I'd like the chance to get the next ridable one as well.
"She's a big one" was all Iceman said as huge Eagle flew from sea, stalled in-front of us and then move on to land behind us.
The next thing I saw was a flash of white under Don; A triangle about the size a seal. It was moving fast twards me. Faster than any set that day. I saw the whole outline of the orca above water. I think the wake/thrust of the unseen orca behind me knoked me off my bodyboard. The next I knew was the view of the orca's eye, white side, stomach and pectoral fin flying by with bluring speed. Then another came from the direction the first was heading (the one I think knocked me under). As the two burned cercules around me I got my head back up and yelled "ORCA! Look, their everywhere"
Iceman was understandably stunned. As he then thought about what to do next, the look of confusion seemed to intensify when the Bull of the pod showed himself. If Don had a stick as long as his arm he could have touched the dorsal fin! The two were about the same size; I mean that the size of the fin out out of the water was the about the same size as wet suit showing (Iceman was probably the smaller of the two exposed above the waterline). I was about an arms length from the side of his tail and the whole pod started to make a move to deeper water.
"What do we do? Should we go in?" Called Don.
Laughing like a kid who's been ticked to long and starting to have my brain catchup with what was going down. " That was awesome! Wooohw Yeah!" I yelled to expel some adrenaline. "Naw were fine, it would have happened by now if it was going to happen (us being on their menu). Wasn't that cool?" more of statement than a question
"To Much" Iceman said as he started re-gip himself. I'm sure there was plenty of extra juice in his system and he could have got his board 'on step' should he have needed to paddle. I don't think he liked how loud and pumped I was. He looked around for the pod to see for himself that it was in fact over. "Look their surfing" as he pointed to the right side of the reef. "My god their surfing".
Sure enough they were just below the surface of the wave gliding like gentle black and white giants. That put a stamp on it for me. This was different form last August. They felt like the porpoise that surf with you off the Florida coast. Still we paddled back to the boat without catching the last wave.
I never used the waterproof disposable around my neck. I used to think I could think more clearly that most in heavy situations but that is as clean of a "I should have done that- What was I thinking" situation as they come. I only remember the camera around my neck when it snapped me in the face trying to get my wet suit off. We saw the pod out the boat window on our way back to town and got a few photos, but really... it's just not the same.
This Orca run-in had a very different feel to it. I wasn't in a panic gripped fear with survival instincts and the primal response for action. It had a welcoming undertone for me and I welcome my next run-in surfing their. No this was the top of the food cain from the Air and Sea checking us out and moving on. Nothing more than getting to share a moment with raw greatness.
Make new tracks!
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K-man
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Post by K-man »

:) Good story...That's the salmon eating race?
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lowrider
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Post by lowrider »

:shock: that's one to tell the grandchildren :shock:
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Bryn
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Post by Bryn »

:shock: Amazing story Coldsalt! Had an adrenalin surge just reading it!
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Coldsalt
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Post by Coldsalt »

Yeah K-man.I'm told this is a "local" or "residential pod" and our local whale biologist is convinced that this is the same pod as last time. Not only that but we are now safe with this pod.. they know were not food at the two aforementioned breaks (reef and Point). I showed the photos (kinda crappy, but enough) to the biologist to make an ID on the bull. Sweat right?... naw, Went out there again this last weekend and every blade of kelp near my feet got me jumping. oh well, same as last time. It fades fast enough.
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