Whale, Whale, Whale...What do we have here?

There's an M&M commercial that plays at Christmastime in the US that a lot of you may be familiar with. The red and yellow M&Ms catch Santa on Christmas Eve, and there is a moment of collective shock. After the M&Ms say something about Santa really existing, Santa returns the sentiment, saying "They do exist!" before promptly fainting.

"They do exist!" That is exactly how I felt today. No, I did not run in to Santa Claus, but I did get to go on a whale watching cruise, and what I saw felt something like a Christmas present to me.  

Yes, I was highly aware that whales existed and that they are enormous and beautiful. But seeing these gentle giants in action is such an incredible experience. It really was (forgive me) over-whale-ming.

When I bought a ticket for this whale watching cruise, I didn't expect much. I paid the forty bucks knowing that our "whale sightings" could easily be a split second view of a fin from far away. But Elise and I both paid for our tickets, so we took the two hour bus ride to Nelson Bay anyway.

Upon arriving, I was already pleased with this decision of ours. The marina itself is gorgeous with long stretches of clear, open water, and beautifully kept boats scattered about it.                                                                               Whale or no whale, I was happy to have some unique photography opportunities and a gorgeous day out at sea.                                                                We boarded the boat at approximately 1:30 p.m. and quickly scouted out the perfect spots for pictures and viewing. Then, it was just a matter of waiting for departure. 

Once we had been briefed on safety precautions, the search for whales began. We sailed into the clear and beautiful Tasman Sea, eyes peeled for the kings of the water. 

It wasn't long before someone spotted one far off on the horizon. The captain directed the boat toward the whale, who wasn't keen to stick around much longer. I was so hopeful that we'd see another because I had completely missed getting a photo. No, desperate. I was desperate. 

Lucky for me (and for you, my lovely readers and companions on this journey of mine), we saw another whale. Actually, we saw more than a dozen more whales.

Some traveled in groups, as this is the middle of their migration season.

Some enjoyed blowing water high into the air from their blow holes.

Some were active, flicking their tails at us.

And some were friendly enough to show their faces to us!

The whole time, I was in awe. They were beautiful, graceful, and... enormous. 

(That is the top of Elise's head as one curious whale started to come close to our boat.)

I couldn't believe it. And just when I thought we were done, we came across some animals lounging on rocks and enjoying the heat from the sun. It was humorous. You might even say it was a bit seal-ly. (I know, I know. That was bad.)

Eventually, this little guy decided belly-up was the way to go.

After all the excitement from the cruise, we managed to speed-walk back to the bus stop to catch the last bus out of Nelson Bay to Newcastle for the day. (The cruise was supposed to end any time between 4 and 4:30. Said bus left at 4:35.) Since we didn't become stranded two hours away from home, I rewarded myself with a long nap on the bus ride home. Pretty good day, wouldn't you say?

In other unrelated news, the seagulls have begun to mobilize. It seems they are in flight training preparing for a military strike against me. 

(I swear this last picture is an image pulled straight from my nightmares...)

Further updates on the status of the Seagull-Caroline conflict will be given as they are received. Stay tuned!

If you are reading this, you have managed to finish what became a very long post. Thanks for sticking around! Ten points to Gryffindor!