Not far in the distance a group of mighty humpback whales surfaced repeatedly, their towering spouts hanging in the still air. These gentle giants, an endangered species, make their living eating schools of fish and krill here along the coast of Southeast Alaska during the summer, then migratiing to warmer waters of Hawaii and Mexico during the winter.
The ship drifted slowly as the whales swam closer. We watched their behavior for over an hour. Then, just as we were about to get underway, four whales swimming in formation side by side crossed just in front of the ship's bow. One by one, they arched their backs and lifted their huge flukes. A fitting farewell. As one guest said, "If I didn't get a shot of a whale fluke, it's my own fault -- they were almost too close to get in focus!"
