Since I had to give up diving, I have explored the ocean and enjoyed its wildlife in other ways. I just took a trip on a charter boat out of Westport to view pelagic wildlife. I found this a great treat. In my years of working at sea, I could never stop to look at the things I saw. We primarily saw seabirds: albatross, shearwaters, skuas, fulmars, storm petrels, murres, murrelets, auklets, and much more. There were also cetaceans: humpback whales, Pacific white sided dolphin, Dalls porpoise, and harbor porpoise. Three species if pinnepeds, including an elephant seal. A couple of interesting fish: blue shark and mola mola. I could see pyrosomes down in the water column, now that I know what they are. I wonder if the mola mola feed on them as they do on jellyfish. The first picture is a blackfooted albatross, a magnificent bird with a 6 and a half foot wingspan.
![Albatross3.JPG (1.61 MiB) Viewed 2965 times Albatross](./download/file.php?id=30806&t=1&sid=15a91a6bcfabade01711def1531b6e92)
- Albatross
The fork tailed storm petrel is not as spectacular, but I am amazed that such a small bird can roam the oceans and spend its life at sea.
![ForkTail1.JPG (470.87 KiB) Viewed 2965 times Storm Petrel](./download/file.php?id=30808&t=1&sid=15a91a6bcfabade01711def1531b6e92)
- Storm Petrel
I was pleased that I could get a recognizable picture of a blue shark.
![Blue Shark1.JPG (3.84 MiB) Viewed 2965 times Blue Shark](./download/file.php?id=30807&t=1&sid=15a91a6bcfabade01711def1531b6e92)
- Blue Shark
While not a spectacular whale picture, you can see why whalers called them "humpbacks".
![DSC_0344.JPG (3.06 MiB) Viewed 2965 times Humpback](./download/file.php?id=30809&t=1&sid=15a91a6bcfabade01711def1531b6e92)
- Humpback
If spending the day offshore looking at what the ocean offers appeals to you, I recommend Westport Seabirds. Everyone involved was a professional with impressive credentials.
-Curt
![:rawlings: :rawlings:](./images/smilies/oldtimer.gif)
Happy to be alive.