Whale Time
Thoughts on the whales.
Last week, I went paddling. I've even learned how to spell it thanks to that nasty red line under every misspelled word.
I got up at 6. Before the birds. I was at the beach at 7:30 and slowly the others came. Four canoes later and we were out to sea. Whales were everywhere. Our steersman would yell, let's go over there. So off we'd go paddling with all our hearts.
The problem was, that I hadn't been out with them in a few months. Some might think that paddling is a breeze. I used to. I am stunned by how difficult putting a stick into the water and making the boat go can be. It is not for the faint of heart. Tears have run down my face as steerspeople have "coached me", I've turned red with anger as they've "kidded me". I even got a prize. The "Princess prize".
Paddling on a team is hard. Its an art form that takes emotional, spiritual and physical strength. It doesn't come easy and is hard to learn.
Okay, so on that day, they wore me out. We went over here and over there so many times, I could hardly move. My arms felt like wet noodles. I was depleted.
I told the steerswoman, my favorite of the bunch, just let the whales come to us and they did. But the rest of the group, the other 3 canoes, just had to rush all over the sea. We got back to shore three hours later, I without an ounce of energy left.
Well, I spent today with a group counting whales. About forty of us gathered above the ocean on a plot of green grass. It was lovely. For the first hour. I barely made it through the other three HOURS. The point is to count "flaps", "dives", "breeches", "blows", and tell how many are adults and how many calves.
So far, I hate whale counting. I was terrible at it. The others would be calling out-Breech! Blow! Dive! I saw nothing.
I missed laying in the sand just watching the whales at my own leisurely pace. I missed feeling connected to the earth. I missed being able to hear the waves and the birds. Instead, all I heard were nasly, high pitched voices, "breech, etc."
No more whale counting for me, but I'll always paddle.
Last week, I went paddling. I've even learned how to spell it thanks to that nasty red line under every misspelled word.
I got up at 6. Before the birds. I was at the beach at 7:30 and slowly the others came. Four canoes later and we were out to sea. Whales were everywhere. Our steersman would yell, let's go over there. So off we'd go paddling with all our hearts.
The problem was, that I hadn't been out with them in a few months. Some might think that paddling is a breeze. I used to. I am stunned by how difficult putting a stick into the water and making the boat go can be. It is not for the faint of heart. Tears have run down my face as steerspeople have "coached me", I've turned red with anger as they've "kidded me". I even got a prize. The "Princess prize".
Paddling on a team is hard. Its an art form that takes emotional, spiritual and physical strength. It doesn't come easy and is hard to learn.
Okay, so on that day, they wore me out. We went over here and over there so many times, I could hardly move. My arms felt like wet noodles. I was depleted.
I told the steerswoman, my favorite of the bunch, just let the whales come to us and they did. But the rest of the group, the other 3 canoes, just had to rush all over the sea. We got back to shore three hours later, I without an ounce of energy left.
Well, I spent today with a group counting whales. About forty of us gathered above the ocean on a plot of green grass. It was lovely. For the first hour. I barely made it through the other three HOURS. The point is to count "flaps", "dives", "breeches", "blows", and tell how many are adults and how many calves.
So far, I hate whale counting. I was terrible at it. The others would be calling out-Breech! Blow! Dive! I saw nothing.
I missed laying in the sand just watching the whales at my own leisurely pace. I missed feeling connected to the earth. I missed being able to hear the waves and the birds. Instead, all I heard were nasly, high pitched voices, "breech, etc."
No more whale counting for me, but I'll always paddle.
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