So woke up yesterday to a phone call at about 7:53 that my father was already chomping at the bit for breakfast. I pulled back the curtains and saw that it was a cloudy morning over the harbor but hoped by the time we got to our whale watch things would clear up.
After a quick breakfast, we gathered sweatshirts and headed out to the pier to meet the boat. Still cloudy but this time we had no fog so we figured we were ahead of the game. We pile onto the boat with other eager watchers all loaded with cameras and binoculars and climb up to the top deck. We bundle into our sweatshirts pretty quickly after leaving the dock and there's a mad dash to get the blankets at the front. We refrain because we're snuggled in our fleeces and as soon as the sun comes out we'll be fine right? Ha...
The first part of the trip was fine. Our naturalist guide pointed out lots of local landmarks including privately owned islands, light houses, marinas, churches, and other points of interest. We were then told that after we left the harbor, we'd proceed toward the feeding grounds where we'd be able to see the whales. Depending on where they were feeding it would take us around a half hour to get there. On the way out, we spotted a few pods of harbor porpoises which are always cute although they have no interest in coming near a boat (as opposed to a dolphin that would play for hours). Within 10 minutes there's a shout and we spot a minke whale (pronounced like Minnie with a K in there....) of the port side. Everyone runs with cameras at the ready. She comes up once, twice and then dives supposedly looking for food. Off the starboard at two o'clock swimming towards three, there's another minke so everyone (even Dad) moves to the other side of the boat. We're sort of idling in the water right now which means that we're really feeling the rocking motion a bit so I'm caught between worrying about Dad and trying to get a picture of the damn whale. But Dad makes it to the side fine and the stupid whale disappears again.
After a quick breakfast, we gathered sweatshirts and headed out to the pier to meet the boat. Still cloudy but this time we had no fog so we figured we were ahead of the game. We pile onto the boat with other eager watchers all loaded with cameras and binoculars and climb up to the top deck. We bundle into our sweatshirts pretty quickly after leaving the dock and there's a mad dash to get the blankets at the front. We refrain because we're snuggled in our fleeces and as soon as the sun comes out we'll be fine right? Ha...
The first part of the trip was fine. Our naturalist guide pointed out lots of local landmarks including privately owned islands, light houses, marinas, churches, and other points of interest. We were then told that after we left the harbor, we'd proceed toward the feeding grounds where we'd be able to see the whales. Depending on where they were feeding it would take us around a half hour to get there. On the way out, we spotted a few pods of harbor porpoises which are always cute although they have no interest in coming near a boat (as opposed to a dolphin that would play for hours). Within 10 minutes there's a shout and we spot a minke whale (pronounced like Minnie with a K in there....) of the port side. Everyone runs with cameras at the ready. She comes up once, twice and then dives supposedly looking for food. Off the starboard at two o'clock swimming towards three, there's another minke so everyone (even Dad) moves to the other side of the boat. We're sort of idling in the water right now which means that we're really feeling the rocking motion a bit so I'm caught between worrying about Dad and trying to get a picture of the damn whale. But Dad makes it to the side fine and the stupid whale disappears again.
We motor on a bit and lo and behold minke spotted about 100 yards off the bow of the boat. We run...and she's gone. This goes on for a good 20 to 30 minutes with the occasional whale spotted in the distance, the guide supposedly timing its dives for food only for the whale to never re-emerge. Well - they guarantee you a whale sighting on your trip so I guess this was ours. They're telling us how just the other day they had a great sighting and the minkes came up pretty close to the boat so we're all hopeful. We press on to further feeding grounds zigzagging with Cap'n Fish and his Whale Watch boat. They look slightly more disgruntled than we are having fewer blankets and not seen the magically disappearing minke whales that we did.
30 minutes later zipping along through ever darkening clouds and colder temps Dad finally gives up and heads down to the warm inside cabin. Getting him down there was a bit of a trip as the boat was moving at a fairly steady clip and the water wasn't exactly calm. I got him settled on a bench and came back up to find Mom hiding inside her windbreaker. It was getting pretty cold but neither of us was giving up. I wanted to see a whale. Splashes off of the port side turned out to be blue fin tuna breaking the surface (yum...dinner....) and of course there were a few birds around as well. We headed out toward Pumpkin Island and saw a huge number of seals sunning themselves on the ledge. A few of them came out close to the boat and played a little - coming out of the water and then diving back in before popping up again in another location with what I can only imagine was a smile on their faces. My guess is that the ones on land were yelling out "Oh give them a show. They just paid for the whale watch and you know they didn't see anything..." or something along those lines.
We headed back to shore where we were told that this was not a typical watch and we'd all be given complimentary standby passes so that we could try again. If anyone knows anyone coming to Boothbay I've got 3 passes for a whale watch for you. You won't see any whales but it is a nice boat trip!
We hobbled off the boat, more then a bit cold and found a spot for lunch nearby called the Blue Moon Cafe. A really cute place run by a couple of kids who know how to make some really good sandwiches. We sat by the water and warmed up a bit now that the sun had finally decided to come out. Thanks Mother Nature. Really....
After lunch there was a shop called Enchantments that I really wanted to check out but it was up a pretty steep hill so Mom and Dad sat at the bottom of the hill (which was fine because in addition to them being tired my back is kinda starting to go out from being their support walking up and down hills this week....). The shop was a creepy mix of wicca and witchcraft items (not creepy) and bizarre lawn ornaments, stuffed things and general tacky bric-a-brac (more creepy). I wandered back down the hill to the parents and told Dad for being so good I'd get him an ice cream.
We walked back into town and got on the longest line I've been on this entire trip. Dad got two scoops of chocolate fudge oreo with hot fudge and I got one scoop of blueberry cheesecake in a sugar cone. Seriously some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted (and believe me I've tasted a lot). Mom declined as she didn't want to ruin her dinner (obviously no one told her that ice cream goes into a separate stomach and has no possibility of ruining dinner). We sat like two little kids slurping down our ice cream before it melted. Mom, as usual struck up a conversation with the nearest stranger sitting next to her.
After our ice cream Mom and Dad headed back to the hotel for a rest and I decided to wander down to the public landing to snap a few more photos. The minute Mom and Dad walked away I was approached by a man wearing a nautical striped long sleeve t-shirt, a stubbly beard and breath reeking of some form of brown liquor. "Hi" he said, in that sort of creepy breathy way that makes me want to reach out and hold my Mommy's hand. "Hi" I said, as I walked toward the pier. "Do you have a boat here?" he asked? I responded with "See that realllly big one way out there?" and pointed toward an obnoxiously sized yacht that was moored off one of the islands nearby. "Yes!" he said, leaning in, obviously more interested. "Yeah that's not mine" I snarked and kept going. Taking the hint he moved on to other unsuspecting prey. It is important to note, that had he not been on the public landing but on one of the private marinas with the amazing sailboats attached to it, that conversation would have most likely gone in a completely different direction.
Also while on the pier, I met a lovely group who had just motored up and had an older woman with them who needed some help getting out of the boat. Having had experience with hauling older folks out of vehicles (Grandma and Dad, plus a few others as well over the years) I immediately went over to help. We got into a conversation about the marina and boats and while we were there, this sort of enormous (and yet somehow not as obnoxious) motor boat pulled in. Boat people like to show off so we struck up a conversation almost immediately and were invited aboard to take a look around. 37 x 13 and really nice all things considered. We talked boats for a bit (or they did and I used some of the lingo I've gained from Adam and Tracy over the years) and then parted ways. Making new friends (that aren't creepy and smell of brown liquor) is fun!
I headed back to the hotel to have a cocktail on the balcony and stare out at the harbor for a bit. Two vodka tonics later I was mellow, happy and more then ready for a little nap. I laid down for a few and actually managed to drift off. I'm sure the vodka helped. When I woke up it was just around 6:15. Met the parents around 6:30 and we wandered just up the road to Kaler's for a really great dinner. Mom had broiled haddock (for like the 14th time) and Dad and I went for Mary's Baked Lobster Pie. I don't know who Mary is but boy I liked her pie! Huge chunks of lobster meat sauteed in butter and baked in a puff pastry shell with a topping of shrimp, crab and buttery bread crumbs. All washed down with a local blueberry ale and topped off with blueberry pie and (more) ice cream. Oh I really really miss pants that fit....
After dinner, Dad felt like a drink so back to the lounge we went where good ol Kay was singing and entertaining the crowd. The overall group was slightly more mixed with one kid younger than I was out with his family who kept attracting the singers attention. There was another older lady, Alice, who had a giant bag full of percussion toys and kept trying to get everyone to sing with her. I turned down the light up tambourine, the knocking stix, the little tom tom drum and the spoons. I just wasn't feeling like being part of the band. Dad had a dewars and water, mom a seltzer and this time guaranteeing myself there would be alcohol I ordered a beer. Ah...much better :).
We stayed for a while, watched some southern folks get up and dance, watched the younger folks trickle out and the older folks trickle in and, around 9:30 decided to call it a night. I came in with the intent to post this then but sleep got the better of me. Between battling mother nature and drinking with the senior set this trip is knocking the hell out of me!
Survival Tip: When the lady who sells you the tickets tells you to bring warm clothing you really should listen. Also, when blankets are available grab one first even if you think you might not need it. Better to be prepared than sit there and be jealous of everyone else that did grab one. And when really in doubt - vodka makes it all better.
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