Geez Louise, I just disembarked from a boat cruise of the Kenai Fjords National Park, and it was all about glaciers and fjords and amazing views, but to me, it was the mammals and birds that blew my mind.
We saw sea otters, sea lions, puffins, and I don’t even known what else right now because my brain is overwhelmed with fantastical experiences. I’m dividing those photos into separate posts so I’m not overwhelming the blog.
These orcas made an unusual appearance right after we left the port in Seward.
We could see four of them traveling together, two females, a male, and a baby. At least that’s what I think the captain said: my heart was racing as one leapt into the air right in front of us, straight up, fully out of the water.
Just like the dolphins in Hitchhiker’s Guide who sing, “So long, and thanks for all the fish.”
I wouldn’t have been surprised if these had beamed straight up to their spaceship, frankly.
They were spy hopping, which means keeping themselves vertical so they could look around above the water. Orca have terrible eyesight, which is why it’s unusual to catch them doing this.
I’ll write about the tour and the boat and the glaciers and the puffins soon. I just want to sit and think about the orcas for now.
Sorry about the weather but happy about the puffin. I saw one in ME and at first thought it was a parrot.
Happy birthday, parrot mistaker! 🦜🎉
In chapter two of my novel, there’s a pod of orcas in Norton Sound in Alaska. Glad to see I wasn’t just making things up.
Now I’m going to have to read that! I’ve got to do some juggling to find it, but I bet I can.