Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Whale watching pics!!

Hubby and I went to the coast for our 19th anniversary this last weekend and went out on a  whale watching cruise! 
First off, let me say that it was quite an experience!! The northern California coast is very cold and the water is very choppy. We were on a small boat and the swells were 6 feet high so we got tossed around quite a bit.


Here's a picture of the marina at Monterey Bay




Here's a fishing boat with some sea lions in front of it as we were heading out....


















Local birds catching some sun!








Now, we are heading out to sea.....  see the land in the distance

And further out, you can still see the shadow of land in the distance.


And even further out (We sailed out for over an hour!) No land in sight!




We finally spot a whale!


Yea.. .see the whale's tale!!  It was very hard to get pictures because the boat was rocking so much! We also saw a school of dolphins!!!  They were my favorite. They bow-rode the ship, which means they gathered on either side of the bow and kept up with the ship's speed, swimming along and leaping out of the sea. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of them.. but it was so COOL!

The happy couple!!


The ship's wake


Heading back now... we found this buoy inhabited by Sea Lions!




Finally back on land!! The beaches in California are gorgeous! But notice no one is actually in the water. That's because it's FREEZING!


We had a wonderful time!

9 comments:

  1. Wed July 6th,
    "Morning, MaryLu."
    Absolutely loved "all" of the photos !!! And, yes, it looks like you had a wonderful time !
    "Six-foot high swells" !!! Wow !!! Yes, I can well imagine you were tossed around some !
    My favourite photo is of the sea-lions all sun-tanning (of sorts) on the tire-tube .... must have been a huge tire .... with seven of them all huddled together ! So cute !!!
    And of course, so neat to see the whales !!! And, you and your husband look most happy !
    What a wonderful way to spend your 19th wedding anniversary !!!
    Thanks so much for sharing, MaryLu ... terrific pictures !!!
    Take care, and, God Bless,
    In Him, Brenda Hurley

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  2. Thank you for sharing your vacation with us, MaryLu. The pictures turned out great! How did your tummy do during that trip? I pray that being the 'captain' of the Redemption prepared you for this trip. lol
    God bless your week. I am going to my daughter's ultrasound with her today. It is going to be so awesome! *hugs*

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  3. Wed July 6th,
    Att'n Debbie: Enjoy the wonder of the ultra-sound, Debbie. Truly ... a miracle !!!
    In Him, Brenda Hurley

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  4. Thanks Ladies! Yes, the sea-lions were adorable, weren't they?? They have alot of them off the coastline here.. I never saw them in Florida because they prefer the colder waters.
    How did my tummy do? Dare I admit, it had a rough time? I didn't get sick but there were some moments I thought I might. LOL.
    Oh.. can't wait to hear about the ultrasound!! I hope you can share it with us!

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  5. What great pics! Makes me miss home. I'm from N. CA and have fond memories of the coastline. I live in WA now & you better believe NO ONE get in these waters! I dare say once your legs are in it for about 5 minutes you don't feel the cold any more. :)

    I was out at the OR coast a week ago & it was wonderful listening to the crashing waves while I read The Reliance. :) Thanks for the adventure, MaryLu! I am loving it!

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  6. The ultrasound was so cool. I have a profile shot of Cassie Sue, but I don't know how I can share it on here. I will share it on the crew's blog. I was very glad that my son-in-law didn't go to the appointment. That is why I was able to go with Jackie. So awesome!
    Jackie is doing great. Her blood pressure, weight and everything with the baby are all perfect. The issue with the baby's kidneys is no longer there. Praise God!

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  7. Lifedance, so you understand completely about freezing water!!! I grew up in Florida where the ocean is like bath water, so this is very unacceptable to me! Anyway, glad I brought back good memories. And also glad you're enjoying The Reliance!
    Debbie, I went over and checked on the picture. I'm so happy all is well!!! And Jackie is feeling good. What a blessing!! Glory to God!

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  8. HI MaryLu,

    oh, my I thought I recognized that coastline :) :) My aunt lives in Monterey. I'd walk along the shoreline a lot :) :) It was fantastic... I'm so glad you had a fun time :) :) Sometimes, those special things, like dolphins, are only meant for your eyes and no one elses.. It's your special gift ;) :) Thanks for sharing the pics :) :) I'm glad you all managed to stay in the boat, too :) :) love and hugs from Oregon, Heather :)

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  9. Heather.. that's so cool that you've been to Monterey too! Yes, and I do believe God sent me those dolphins as a gift.. seeing them sure helped get my mind off my churning tummy! :-)

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