Los Islotes
"Call me Ishmael. Some years ago – never mind how long precisely – having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world". Thus begins perhaps one of the greatest American novels of our time…Moby Dick by Herman Melville.
Instead of the Pequod, we find ourselves aboard the Sea Lion. Rather than Captain Ahab, we are treated to the expertise of Captain Mark Graves. The times have changed, the names are different, but the leviathan we seek still remains as elusive as ever. All week long we have scanned the horizon in search of the tell-tale forward angled blow which we seek. Our faces have been burned by the sun and wind, our eyes eagerly scanning for even the slightest hint of the mighty sperm whale, the largest toothed animal on the entire planet!
Finally! Success! The sun had just shown her face over the crest of San Jose Island when the first blow is sighted. "Thar she blows" came the cry from the bridge! "Whale spout off the port bow!" Scrambling to our stations the sound of running feet reverberates on the deck. A sense of anticipation and excitement permeate the air. Can it be?
As if by sheer will power alone there they are, two adult male sperm whales, resting calmly in the early morning light. Their blows can clearly be seen from the bow as they drift closer to our position. At about 20 second intervals a fresh blow emanates from the resting leviathans. A count begins, and soon we are surpassing forty breaths for the largest animal. Yankee Whalers knew that each breath of a resting sperm whale corresponded to roughly a foot of length for the animal. The largest whale starts to rise higher in the water with each breath, pushing forward against the sea and wind. Then with a beauty and grace that belies his size, he lifts his magnificent flukes to the heavens and for just a moment is frozen, both in time and forever in our minds.
A cheer rings out, loud and exuberant! All on board have witnessed the power and majesty of this astounding whale, the stuff of legends, the prize of Yankee Whalers, the antagonist Melville wrote about. The experience shall remain long after we depart this desert sea…
"Call me Ishmael. Some years ago – never mind how long precisely – having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world". Thus begins perhaps one of the greatest American novels of our time…Moby Dick by Herman Melville.
Instead of the Pequod, we find ourselves aboard the Sea Lion. Rather than Captain Ahab, we are treated to the expertise of Captain Mark Graves. The times have changed, the names are different, but the leviathan we seek still remains as elusive as ever. All week long we have scanned the horizon in search of the tell-tale forward angled blow which we seek. Our faces have been burned by the sun and wind, our eyes eagerly scanning for even the slightest hint of the mighty sperm whale, the largest toothed animal on the entire planet!
Finally! Success! The sun had just shown her face over the crest of San Jose Island when the first blow is sighted. "Thar she blows" came the cry from the bridge! "Whale spout off the port bow!" Scrambling to our stations the sound of running feet reverberates on the deck. A sense of anticipation and excitement permeate the air. Can it be?
As if by sheer will power alone there they are, two adult male sperm whales, resting calmly in the early morning light. Their blows can clearly be seen from the bow as they drift closer to our position. At about 20 second intervals a fresh blow emanates from the resting leviathans. A count begins, and soon we are surpassing forty breaths for the largest animal. Yankee Whalers knew that each breath of a resting sperm whale corresponded to roughly a foot of length for the animal. The largest whale starts to rise higher in the water with each breath, pushing forward against the sea and wind. Then with a beauty and grace that belies his size, he lifts his magnificent flukes to the heavens and for just a moment is frozen, both in time and forever in our minds.
A cheer rings out, loud and exuberant! All on board have witnessed the power and majesty of this astounding whale, the stuff of legends, the prize of Yankee Whalers, the antagonist Melville wrote about. The experience shall remain long after we depart this desert sea…
