Blue Whale

I have known the basics about the blue whale for a long time. As a matter of fact, I have been intrigued by the animal since I was in elementary school. Like most kids, I know that blue whales are believed to be the largest animals to have ever lived anywhere on this earth. Like most kids, I have seen pictures of blue whales. I have even heard recordings of whale songs before. Until I actually saw one of these huge and magnificent creatures in person, however,I didn't know anything about them. Some things are just too spectacular to understand before you see them.

I actually went on a whale watching cruise last summer for the first time, but didn't expect to see a blue whale. They weren't really in season at that particular place. We did see some fin whales as well as quite a few dolphins, and these were impressive enough. Nothing, however, can prepare you for seeing the fluke of the blue whale as it reaches the surface. It is absolutely huge. You get the feeling that if the whale were in the slightest bit careless, hundreds of ships would be destroyed by its merest whim every year. I felt humbled and honored to be in the presence of something so great and powerful.

Sometimes things seem to pass in an instant when they really take an hour. In this case, just the opposite occurred. I only saw the tip of its fin for about 15 or 20 seconds and the body for another minute, but it seemed like I was watching it for hours. I was examining every inch of it – at least every inch that was exposed – and trying to commit it to memory. It seemed to move so slowly although, of course, it was actually moving at quite a good speed. Blue whales are so massively large that they can appear to be going nowhere while actually making tracks.

The captain was absolutely flabbergasted. He was practically shouting into the loudspeaker, telling us all to come over and look at the blue whale. Apparently, although they had been reported to occasionally frequent these waters during that time of year, it was the first time he or anyone he knew had seen one. He flat out told us that we were all very privileged to be able to see this incredible sight. I believed him and so, I think, did the other passengers. It truly was breathtaking.

Summary

Blue whales are believed to be the largest mammal to live on the earth. To truly appreciate the size of these animals, you need to see them live and in person. The animals move with grace and speed through the water even though it appears they are moving very slowly.

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