AeeeiiEEiiiioOOouuuUUU. (or:Do you speak Whale? on Day 10)

On the importance of speaking Whale (Finding Nemo) For the video click HERE

Last year I tried to book a whale-watching excursion, but we left on Dec. 13, and the tours started on the 14th! On the other hand, I can't believe I'm going whale-watching with the same outfit that last year let me snorkel in the same ocean as hammerheads !

Location of shark attack (Was there last year but NOT in the water)

 On that note: On yesterday's Hawaiian radio the headline was "Another shark attack".  Just 2 days ago a surfer was bitten by an ~11 foot tiger shark at a beach on the south coast. No snorkeling for me this year !!!!











So it's a whale-watching excursion today. A tip to interested parties: NEVER book a tour on your last day there and make sure you pick an outfit that allows you to come back for free if no whales are watched! I'm sure the other outfits in Kona are just as fabulous and friendly as BodyGlove, which is the outfit I chose. Here you get a voucher for a  Free 2nd Trip if you don't see one of these thingies in the pic below: (Wikipedia articles in ENGLISH & DEUTSCH).

Obviously not my pic and OBVIOUSLY NOT taken around here ;-)

 I guess this also will tell those of a more deductive nature among the readership how many REAL whales I saw on this trip ;-)

There is a cruise ship in Kona, and one of its tenders seems to get transferred onto the whale-watching tour. A lot of people with canes & walkers seem to populate the deck all-of-a-sudden. They paid good bucks for no whale and don't even have the chance to come onto the Sunday expedition ;-(
These people are not ancient Hawaiians on their way to greet the Cruise Ship.

They are trying to get close to the Spinner Dolphins ( Wikipedia articles in ENGLISH & DEUTSCH).

At first I thought those things on the tables were ashtrays.  Cup holders ;-(

We cruise out into the ocean and the captain sees something that he decides is worth checking out.  The naturalist on board (cool knowledgeable pony-tailed hippie-generation guy) instantly identifies them as Pilot Whales  (Wikipedia articles in ENGLISH & DEUTSCH).

 It was soon evident that these whales (Dolphins !) were not too happy with the company. Soon they took what apparently is called a 'diving breath' and left the cameras staring at waves only.

The captain was busy showing us all kind of things (since there were no whales):

Not too worried about no whales

This is a WWII landing craft being used to transport food to a fish farm (below the yellow floater)

An electrical tourist submarine (Website)

Those who swim with dolphins?

Some kind of Kontiki:

 All in all, I've enjoyed the leisurely trip, the time in the sun, the tiny jolts of excitement, and the Voucher for another FREE whale-SEARCHING excursion on Sunday ;-)      

 

 

Good night, Friday the 13th!