God Created the Great Whales
This morning daughter #1 and I finally went on a hike we had planned on since last Fall. On a beautiful partially cloudy day we walked the 2 miles from the Kalanianiole Hwy to Makapu'u Point. This is my favorite walk on Oahu, especially during Humpback Whale season.
In spite of the vog (haze from the Big Island volcano eruption. We get it when the wind shifts to the south west) we could see the island of Molokai stretched out in the distance. From the height of the headland (about 300+ feet) the rock and coral formations on the Makapu'u Beach side shone through the clear blue water as on a beautiful pastel palatte.
Yes, there were whales, too. We counted at least 11 or 12 of them today including four sets of mothers with their calves. The calves frequently bounded through the water as if they thought they were dolphins; breaching repeatedly as though they were playing on an underwater trampoline. The mothers were more sedate although one began breaching alongside her calf. Soon a third adult (male?) joined them. At one point all three were above the water, two coming down and one coming up all within 50 feet of each other.
Most were approximately 3/4 of a mile away, close enought to hear them slam into the water after a breach or when they were playfully slapping the water with their tails.
One mother and calf spent almost 20 minutes upside down and side by side together repeatedly slapping their tales, apparently just for the fun of it. Perhaps the mother was teaching her child some of the finer points of sonic communication that Humpbacks are so famous for. They not only "sing" but also signal their whereabouts with percussive splashing on the ocean surface.
At one point we commented that it looked as if the mothers were training their children so that they might someday get their photograph on a tourist brochure or in a National Geographic article!
As always the beauty of the ocean and the extraordinary creatures that live hidden within it gave me good reason to praise God for his wonderful creation.
As Psalm 148:7,13 puts it:
In spite of the vog (haze from the Big Island volcano eruption. We get it when the wind shifts to the south west) we could see the island of Molokai stretched out in the distance. From the height of the headland (about 300+ feet) the rock and coral formations on the Makapu'u Beach side shone through the clear blue water as on a beautiful pastel palatte.
Yes, there were whales, too. We counted at least 11 or 12 of them today including four sets of mothers with their calves. The calves frequently bounded through the water as if they thought they were dolphins; breaching repeatedly as though they were playing on an underwater trampoline. The mothers were more sedate although one began breaching alongside her calf. Soon a third adult (male?) joined them. At one point all three were above the water, two coming down and one coming up all within 50 feet of each other.
Most were approximately 3/4 of a mile away, close enought to hear them slam into the water after a breach or when they were playfully slapping the water with their tails.
One mother and calf spent almost 20 minutes upside down and side by side together repeatedly slapping their tales, apparently just for the fun of it. Perhaps the mother was teaching her child some of the finer points of sonic communication that Humpbacks are so famous for. They not only "sing" but also signal their whereabouts with percussive splashing on the ocean surface.
At one point we commented that it looked as if the mothers were training their children so that they might someday get their photograph on a tourist brochure or in a National Geographic article!
As always the beauty of the ocean and the extraordinary creatures that live hidden within it gave me good reason to praise God for his wonderful creation.
As Psalm 148:7,13 puts it:
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is esalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
Caveat: None of these photos are mine!
posted by Bird of Paradise at 7:34 PM
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