So far my time with Allen Marine has been epic. I've gone through tons of training, which is good because I've never worked or been around bigger, sea-going boats before. It's certainly spawned a new love. I've always loved the water and going out on boat rides, but I'd only done that in lakes. Sea creatures are amazing and I want to spend as much time around them as possible! Whales, oh gosh, whales are just beautiful, amazing creatures. The whales here in the waters of Southeast Alaska are humpbacks and orcas, more commonly known as killer whales. I've seen humpacks a few times this spring, but I saw my first pod of orcas Thursday afternoon on my first tour! I'm pretty sure I was even more excited than the tourists were. It was such a breathtaking experience that I will never forget. I did manage to get a few photos :)
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| Male and female orcas in Stephens Passage |
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| So beautiful! |
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| This is a baby orca. You can tell it's a baby from the orange tint where it's normally white. It's mother surfaced right after I took this photo. Amazing! |
Here's a cool fact: Orcas are sometimes called the 'wolves of the sea' because of the way they work in packs to hunt their prey.
I'm sure I'll have a thousand more photos of orcas, humpbacks and other wildlife here pretty soon. My whale knowledge is still pretty basic, but I'm learning new facts every day. I really miss my home, family, and friends, but I sure do love Alaska more than I ever thought possible. Some people think of warm waters and hot sandy beaches as paradise, but I've found my paradise right here. So thankful for this experience <3>
