We are now into a routine and everyday follows more or less the same pattern - up 5.30 to 6 ish, coffee and breakfast at 0700, 0825 whale watching preparation - wrist bands, showing we have paid the daily fee, collected and groups decided, off in the small boats to the whale viewing area before 0900, 90 minutes whale watching, which is strictly enforced by the sheriff who sits in a chair on the edge if the lagoon connected to the boatmen by radio, back around 1100, coffee, 1130 photo workshop, 12 noon lunch and a little DIY time, 1330 regroup for the afternoon whale watch off by 2pm back 4pm ish, coffee then showers, which were signed up for the night before, happy hour at 5pm with margaritas, chips, guacamole and salsa together with lots of chatting, dinner at 7pm and talk at 8ish with return to cabins 8.30pm to 9pm and lights off by 9.30pm.
That said we had two really good whale watches particularly the afternoon session no friendly whales but one mother and baby came into very close proximity - almost touching distance. We also had one spy hop just behind us and saw a mating group with lots of fins out of the water. In the morning we had a half breach - just the top half came out and slapped down five times - we saw several new birds - pacific loon and horned grebe. There were as ever lots of Brandt's cormorants, double crested cormorants, surf scoters and the majestic pacific brown pelicans gliding inches above the surface.
Before lunch the photography workshop focused on histograms - I now understand the value of them together with other tips and hints. After lunch John and I walked back to the boat landing point and photographed the ospreys who are nesting there and have done apparently for several years even though they fly off every time we walk to the boats! We also watched reddish egrets fishing and flouncing in the lagoon along with a very long curved billed wimbrell. Back at our cabin I focused on photographing the osprey flying above -they looked great against the lovely blue sky. The after dinner lecture was grey whales part 2 ! After which Mark, Chris and I got onto the subject of conservation and useless politicians who know nothing but have the power - the solution Mark decided was a revolution!
(Today's picture is baby resting its head on mums back - you can even see its eye.)