A Whale of a Story

It was a beautiful sunny morning when we boarded the zodiac in Cheticamp to go whale-watching.  The operation had a money-back guaranty to see whales, so we were all eager and confident that we would see something - the question was if we would see the huge ones.  I was both excited and optimistic.

The zodiac had two rows of seats back-to-back facing the sides of the boat.  The captain mentioned that they would be able to go right up close to the whales, and when they do, the people on the opposite side of the boat could stand up and see over the people sitting on the lucky side.  I was thinking we made a good choice with the zodiac and was fantasizing about the award-winning pictures I would be taking.

Off we went.  The Sun was harsh on my face and I had difficulty seeing the coast with the glare.  I was wondering if it was a good idea to have worn a long sleeve flannel shirt under my waterproof jacket and life preserver.

The zodiac seemed to be pretty smooth and it was going pretty fast too.  We saw some porpoises far in the distance, but they were not what we were looking for.  We sped further and further away.  Silvina and Nina decided to take their jackets off because they were roasting.

The sea was starting to get rougher, and the zodiac began to bounce off the waves with the occasional jar and welcome cool spray.

Hours had passed and no sightings.  The ride was getting rockier, and the novelty had worn off.  The zodiac then began to speed up.  Faster and faster it bucked up and then crashed down with each wave.  Water was blasting at us from all directions as though an endless line of pranksters were hurling buckets of it at us.  Silvina said that she saw a jellyfish in the wave in front of her face.  My waterproof shoes were soaked from the inside out.

With each buck I was being pushed further to the back of the boat.  My butt was now resting between the seams of the seats and I was squishing the lady behind me.  I kept trying to push myself forward, but I was constantly being pushed back.  Nina was huddled in Silvina's arms - distraught, soaked and shivering, but safe.  It felt like punishment, and we were all wondering when it would stop.

When we got near the coast, the captain slowed down and we looked at some seals and rocky cliffs. Few were open to appreciate it. 

At long last we pulled up back at the pier.  We thankfully got out of the zodiac and got our refund without hesitation.  Silvina and Nina hurried back to the motel to take a hot shower to warm their bones.  I was thanking my lucky stars that I had my shirt and jacket to keep me from freezing.