Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Animal Expectations....by Jessica

The problem with wildlife viewing is that usually the animals aren't doing much of anything interesting.  So when you see them - it's SUPER exciting but then you slam on the brakes and watch the bear and then typically the bear does....nothing. at. all.

It's the Sea World attractions that have ruined us - we've learned to expect animals to be jumping through hoops with balls balanced on their noses.

I know that my expectations for animals are high so I tell myself to aim low when I'm going out to watch them.

We took a Zodiac tour in Ketchikan and I told myself if all I saw was a seal and a bird I would be happy.  The bird didn't even need to be flying.



Fortunately, guides in a touristy area know that most of their clients will have AADD (Animal Attention Deficit Disorder) and our guide came prepared with a fish to throw out in the water to tempt a bald eagle to swoop down and snatch out of the water.

It was pretty amazing to watch.



We also had a close-{ish} encounter with a humpback whale and though we've seen many blowholes from the shore, this was my first time being so close in the middle of calm quiet waters and was able to hear the blowhole so close.  It really was inexpressible.

Of course, the Alaska dream is to see a pod of orca's but our guide did bring out a good point - when a pod of orca's go through an area, most of all the other sea life disappears {gotta get away from the killers}.

She then took us to a spot where there were a ton of seals lounging on a little island. They were so peacefully plump, wriggling and squiggling their way around on the rocks - they also had their little pups with them - so cute!



We sat and watched peacefully for quite a while.  It was quiet except for the sound of water lapping up against the side of our boat and the occasional bark from a seal pup.

So peaceful.

It was then that I leaned over to Zack and said  "Wouldn't it be AMAZING if a huge pod of orca's came swimming and jumping over right at this moment.....  and ate some of those seals?"

{Sorry animal lovers, I know that last sentence was probably hard to read.}

6 comments:

Juliana said...

Ha! I love what Zack said...I can imagine Kit saying something like that too :) Whenever we are away from Lola any round plump animal makes me think of her, Awww look at that toad, or awww look at that fat little bird. If I saw those seals I have I a feeling I would be thinking of the bear. Its funny how on your trip you wanted to see a bear and I was literally trying to scare the bears away!

Jessica said...

It was actually I who uttered the death to the seals wish :)

Becky said...

Wow, I would love to go to Alaska, that is amazing that you guys got to experience that! Oh, and... I love seals, hahahaha!!!! But, yes, I'm sure that would have been amazing to see what you were "wishing", hehe.

jboudreau said...

Your so right expecting the animals to do something! Although our latest trip to the Denver Zoo was great, the bears were chewing on wood, the tigers were tackling each other landing in the water even, they were feeding the lions, very active animals that trip!

Unknown said...

"AADD (Animal Attention Deficit Disorder)" LOL!!!! Love that one!

Anonymous said...

when you saw the seals did you see any sharks i know they are in the area of Alaska this time of year

Bobby