Summer 2001
Sept 17, 2001	A Healing Place and the Peace and Resolve Red Cross Benefit Cruise
Sept 12, 2001	A World Upside Down and How We Will Cope
Sept 10, 2001	Blue Whales Surface Feeding on Their Sides
Sept 5, 2001	Jellies, Blues and the Pajaro Valley Arts Council
Aug 27, 2001	Good-bye, Buddy
Aug 19, 2001	Captain Harrison
Aug 12, 2001	Our Wille and Lobo Concert and More Fabulous Whale Experiences
Aug 5, 2001	All-time Best Whale Experiences and "Eye of the Whale" Rocking With 2 Great Reviews!
July 31, 2001	"Eye of the Whale" Off to a Smashing Start!
July 24, 2001	Humpbacks, Blues & Orcas!
July 10, 2001	A Fourth to Remember and Jellies Galore Turn Out for the Wedding!
June 29, 2001	The Blue Whales Are Here!
June 26, 2001	Summer on Monterey Bay

9/17/2001: A Healing Place and the Peace and Resolve Red Cross Benefit Cruise:
We ran a few small whale watching trips this past week. Most of the people who came out with us felt a strong need to be on the ocean in the company of whales and dolphins. I know I did. I have called a gathering of blue whales "a cathedral of whales." It is an especially poignant revelation for me that being in the company of these pure spirits is so healing, but I'm not alone. We were surrounded by blue whales on both weekend trips. We also had bottlenose dolphins ("Flipper's" species) right at the harbor mouth both days. And yesterday, well after we should have been back in, we detoured on silken waters to play with several hundred Pacific white-sided dolphins.
On Wednesday, several dear friends joined us. Pam Warren was here because although she has moved to the east coast, she was in Las Vegas on business. She was stranded when the airlines shut down, so she rented a car with others and drove to the sea. Typical Pam behavior. We met her when we gave all of the beach clean-up volunteers free cruises in Santa Cruz. She has become a great constant in our lives, often calling and saying, "I need a fix!" She has to be at sea. We also were joined on that cruise by our friend Russ Hoburg, who runs the big Blue and Gold ferries on the San Francisco Bay. Russ and Pam didn't meet.
Two days later, we got a call from Russ. He was at work on the Alcatraz/Angel Island run. We were out with whales. He said, "I won't keep you long but there's someone here who wants to talk to you."
It was Pam. She had been sitting near the wheelhouse on his boat. After he made his landing at Angel Island, he thought he would get a cup of tea. Russ saw Pam and couldn't quite place her, but he thought they knew each other. He recognized her jacket as something he'd seen recently; he didn't feel it was her style. Sure enough, she's been wearing a friend's clothes and this was a borrowed jacket. I say it so often, "What are the chances?"
A couple of years ago, a woman emailed me and asked about a guy mentioned on our web site who volunteered a lot of help for our gray whale project "In the Path of Giants." He gave so much of himself and we were deeply appreciative. His name? Russ Hoburg. She had known a guy named Russ Hoburg in Marin county many years ago; she wondered if it was the same person. I gave her Russ' email address and they have corresponded frequently.
She works in a highrise building not far from the World Trade Center. She watched in horror as the second plane crashed into the tower. She told Russ what she went through as the scene unfolded.
What are the chances? We live by an unseen script and we don't know how it will end, but we need to do as much as we can to help the victims and those assisting in this monumental effort. On September 29th, we will have a Red Cross benefit cruise aboard Princess of Whales. There will be lots of food, wine and friends, many of whom have yet to meet. The cost is $50 per person and all proceeds will go straight to the American Red Cross, which will have representatives onboard. More details will be posted at the top of this page soon. Please join us if you can.

9/12/2001: A World Upside Down and How We Will Cope

If you look at the top of this page, you'll find three good suggestions to try to cope with the terrible events in New York and Washington. Donate blood, donate money and if you are able to, attend our Red Cross fund-raiser cruise described above. Blood is always needed and never wasted. Donate blood and feel good about giving the gift only you can give. The American Red Cross is our number one emergency response organization world wide. These people are trained to deal with the impossible, to make sense of chaos and to care for the victims of disaster. They always need money for supplies, transportation, all of the incredibly long list of expenses that come with handling a large, mobile response. Yes, there are the bandages, blankets and bottles of water. There are also seemingly insignificant things such as pens, paper clips, paper, phones, fax machines, food for volunteers, file cabinets, flashlights, batteries... The list is monumental.
Don't think of sending a check later; send it now. You can get the address of the American Red Cross from your local phone book. Donate blood and know that whenever and wherever it's used, it is the gift of life. To think we make it ourselves.
Breathe deeply, let the pain wash over you and let it go. See the victims bathed in light and free of this world's terrible realities. Dwell on the beauty that also exists in this far from perfect place and believe that strength comes when it's needed. Reach out to neighbors and help them; it will also help you.

9/10/2001: Blue Whales Surface Feeding on Their Sides

Yesterday was one of those fall days we crow about, the reason I recently sent out the update to people on our mailing list. I said we get our best weather in the next several months (even November is usually mild and gorgeous). However, a couple of snorting days with a nasty south wind followed my update before mellowing into the placid duck pond that the Monterey Bay was yesterday. We had similar conditions the day before and wonderful whale activity, which was especially rewarding because two local women encouraged a huge assortment of friends and co-workers to join us for whale watching. Many had never watched whales before but they were instant studies and showed great spirit. We kept telling them we wanted to get DNA samples so we could clone them.
Yesterday was even more fantastic. There were three blue whales less than five miles from our harbor. Minutes into the Monterey Bay, we were seeing their tall, narrow blows to the southwest. As we eased into the area, the whales showed more of their sides, pectoral flippers and flukes than we have ever seen with blues. The water was a slowly flexing mirror; a hazy sky brought warmth without glare.
A squadron of Risso's dolphins cruised through. We turned to join them for a while since they are so beautiful and unique before going back to the blue whales. I took my camera up on top of the bridge, but on several occasions, I didn't take pictures when something remarkable occured. I just watched, sometimes chattering about it to passengers and other times lost in silent reverie. Steph had taken over at the wheel and he provided an insightful and interesting narration; we both agreed later it was a pretty special day.
On the trip back to Moss Landing, we picked up several large plastic bags and told our passengers why we were doing it. They were into it, keeping an eye on the bags as I neared them and cheering Steph on as he snagged them. The same thing happened the day before when we plucked a balloon from the bay. You have to feel good when your passengers are as involved in a conservation effort as were when they were watching the whales that benefit from it. That was our week; how about yours?

9/5/2001: Jellies, Blues and the Pajaro Valley Arts Council

Pelagia, or Purple-striped Jellies, look like Tiffany lamp shades. Their dome is a translucent white with deep purple stripes running from the crown out to the edges. We often see many Pelagia on a cruise, but last Sunday, we saw more in one trip than we have ever seen before. They were all around, pulsing in gentle movements as they drifted on the current. It was a bit like being at a hot air balloon festival, except we were looking down into the water, not up into the sky. We had an enormous amount of locals on board Princess of Whales because they had joined us as part of the Pajaro Valley Arts Council's Ocean's Festival 2001. They seemed to have a delightful time and we certainly enjoyed them, but we didn't see any whales that day! It was the first time in over 2 months that we hadn't seen whales. Although the fog played a role by not lifting and instead hanging on the bay in large, dense patches, perhaps the whales had moved offshore for the day. This is nature and one of the things we can't control. But making sure our passengers found a sparkling clean boat waiting for them and were treated well is something we CAN control and they received both.
The rest of the week, we saw blue whales, some humpbacks, Pacific white-sided dolphins and other cool creatures. We also had our second visitor fresh from working with the whale watching company Mosquito Fleet in Washington. We were very pleased when she also commented on our thoughtful manner with whales and other sealife. It is nice to run into people who are involved in working with whales and who share our respect for them. Because of this, we will link web sites so that people going to the northwest to see orcas will be able to choose a company they know they will like.
With the advent of fall, we get our best weather of the year on the Monterey Bay. Crowds dwindle, days are warm and the great whales feeding in the Monterey Bay can often be seen in large numbers. This is a spectacular time to visit.

8/27/2001: Good-bye, Buddy

On Friday, August 24th, our little friend Harrison James Fisher was lain to rest. He was a happy guy who impressed everyone who met him with his friendly, helpful manner. Harrison loved trains, which probably explains why he was so delighted when we asked if he'd like to drive Princess of Whales. She also has huge diesel engines and the ability to take you to a magical place, such as a sparkling world where whales breach and dolphins dance on your bow wave.
Harrison also loved dinosaurs. Jurassic Park was one of his favorite movies, but when the scary parts came, he would run out of the room and hide. If anyone offered to turn it off, he would say, "No! Just let it keep playing. I'll come out when the scary part's over!"
The Jurassic period was when dinosaurs and the earliest mammals existed. Small wonder that kids are enchanted by this period, yet the Monterey Bay is currently teeming with the world's largest mammals ever, the Blue Whales. They also make kids happy and have the unique ability to turn adults into kids as they watch the massive blue-gray animals rise out of the water like some streamlined, oddly shaped missile.
I thought of all of this as I sat at Harrison's funeral. Steph managed to find a few good souls to serve in my stead on a very important cruise for kids from the Salinas Boys and Girls Club. Ironically, we sponsor these cruises in order to get kids out there so they can see what a beautiful world it is. It was the one cruise we couldn't cancel, but Steph and I always run Princess of Whales together. Captain Ed Cooper and Jane Cummings came to the rescue, bless their hearts.
Sitting in the sunlight-filled church in the redwoods, I mused over the fact that we have seen so many blue whales on the Monterey Bay and beyond this past week that it was hard to count them all. There were remembrance cards at the funeral which we were asked to fill out. I wrote mine to Harrison. I said that there were more blue whales out there than we had ever seen. I explained that dinosaurs were puny compared with blue whales. Taking into consideration how much Harrison loved, but feared, dinosaurs, I told him I figured the blue whales had come for him.
Possibly the best thing we do at Sanctuary Cruises is connect with people. Of course, we show them whales and dolphins. We provide what we hope is a truly spectacular experience. But on a deeper level, there are times when we bond and strangers become friends. This happened with Harrison and his grandparents when they came on our overnight cruise to Monterey on the 4th of July.
Who could have guessed that we'd provide one of the pinnacles of Harrison's brief life? Or that we would be included in the grief of his family and honored by being invited to his funeral? With a longer life, Harrison's memories of Steph, Fluke and me might have faded as they were replaced by fantastic new experiences. I can't tell you how much we wish he'd had the time to do just that.
Don't worry, Captain Harrison. The scary part is over.

8/19/2001: Captain Harrison

On our overnight cruise to Monterey for the 4th of July, we were joined by Wayne and Jane Armstrong and their grandson Harrison. Harrison had a ball. He was up on the sundeck, down in the main cabin, out on the foredeck. We only had to ask if he wanted to drive Princess of Whales once and he was on it. He took quickly to that rather stately seat. Even though he couldn't see much out the windows but sky due to his height, he surveyed his kingdom from his command and he liked what he saw. The three of them rolled sleeping bags out on their pads after we docked for the night and I kept thinking, "What grandparents would do this for a kid? This is an adventure he will remember for the rest of his life!"
And I was right. Harrison died this morning in a car accident and we are devastated. His grandparents' hearts are broken, but they contacted us to let us know we lost a friend today and so we have to wish him Godspeed to his next command.
Captain Harrison, you give my Mom a hug for me and tell her that even though it seems impossible that she died a year ago next week, it also seems like decades have passed because she left such a big hole here on earth. Mom, you fill in for Jane. She has your warmhearted hug and Harrison will miss it so much. Dad, Wayne has your way of watching things without a lot of words, so you can be there in his stead. Have Captain Harrison take you for a spin on his boat; he comes highly recommended as a good captain. And friend.
Some of you have emailed us to make reservations and if I know you're coming from a distance, I sometimes tell you to have a safe trip. But you know, that drive across town can be the one that gets you and there are a lot of cool kids whose lives should be long enough to look back farther than a decade, but they aren't. Drive as though the accident you can avoid by being patient and careful is just ahead of you.
Harrison, you sure weren't here very long, but you will be missed an eternity.

8/12/2001: Our Wille and Lobo Concert and More Fabulous Whale Experiences

If you read the previous update to this, posted last week, you'll see I barely knew what to say since we'd had such incredible, thrilling and exceptional whale sightings. But heck, that ain't nothin' compared with today. Not only that, but on Friday night, Princess of Whales hosted her first full-blown concert on Monterey Bay. Willie and Lobo, a couple of fine talents, brought their electric violin and guitar aboard and played two hours' worth of cool, where-else-would-you-find-something-like-this jazz as we plied the Bay, watched the sunset and feasted on A Moveable Feast's creative, sassy food. This was a Sandy Shore Production and it was a sold out event. Completely great, that's what it was.
Then today, IN ONE CRUISE, on a pancake flat and duckpond calm Monterey Bay, we saw Dall's porpoises, the little flashdancers that played a part in how our catamaran got her name. We saw a rare sperm whale, the species immortalized in "Moby Dick." We were surrounded by numerous blue whales, the biggest mammals ever! Then we had a couple of dozen Risso's dolphins, the blunt-headed, bizarrely beautiful creatures with the heavily scarred bodies. After that came a very big mola mola (giant ocean sunfish) andf to top if off, there were two humpbacks breaching simultaneously!
The sperm whale was first and it stayed at the surface for several minutes; all of us got to take one photograph after another of its massive, thick dorsal fin, the huge head seemingly miles forward of the dorsal, its blow shooting out of the left side of the forehead, an unmistakeable sperm whale characteristic. Then it prepared to sound and Steph, who saw ANOTHER sperm whale just a few weeks ago, warned everyone, "Okay, get ready, it's arched its back higher, I think it's getting ready...yes, get ready guys...here it comes, here it comes...okay NOW!" And with that the great, huge creature threw its flukes to the sky im a slow motion movement that displayed them beautifully for us before slipping silently into the satin water.
We'd spoken with a dockmate a bit earlier and she was heading out on her sailboat to watch whales with friends. I gave her the coordinates where we'd had such a magical trip yesterday, but before she got there, she called me on the radio to say they'd already seen one huge whale. I suspected it was a blue whale, but Steph thought just maybe it's a sperm whale. He went up on the top of the bridge to spot and when the whale surfaced, he scurried down the ladder, ran onto the bridge where I was driving and said, "Get your camera! Its a SPERM WHALE!"
I had only seen one sperm whale before this and I didn't get a photo of it. Instantly, Steph took the helm, I grabbed my cameras and shot up the ladder. I burned a roll of film and each shot was better than the one before. Our elated passengers did the same from both decks, some of them running from one tremendous vantage point to the next. The whale's dive was so exquisitely drawn out that I took two pictures before it vanished into the deep. One of the deepest diving creatures on earth, the whale could stay down for an hour or more, so once it was down, we headed farther out onto the Monterey Bay.
As we often do, I commented over the PA that people sometimes ask how close we will get them to the whales. But we explain that this is their world, we are the guests. We take it slow and easy, insinuating ourselves into the area. Then we see what the whales have in mind. All in all, we saw many blue whales. The sky cleared in a clean slice that split us down the middle. It was as though we were in the cathedral of the whales, especially since the wind that so often comes up with a blue sky failed to materialize. On our way back in toward Moss Landing, we looked for some humpbacks spotted earlier. They were easy to find once they started breaching side by side--something we so rarely see--launching themsleves out of the water and kabooming back into it, throwing magnificent splashes a hundred feet in every direction as they landed. It was a joyous celebration of life, this witnessing of nature's brilliance, something humans had nothing to do with creating. And how was it that we were so lucky to be there, to be able to experience something so rich and raw?
Today, perhaps in a conspiracy that was pre-arranged in a cobalt universe where creatures feel their surroundings more than seeing them, the whales, dolphins and porpoises said, "Let's go find Princess of Whales and thank her for her patience and respect when she ventures out here into our world." And one of them might have nodded and added, "Yeah, and let's see if Heidi has any more superlatives left in her after this week."
I am not at all sure that I do.

8/5/2001: All-time Best Whale Experiences and "Eye of the Whale" Rocking With 2 Great Reviews!

Oh man, where do I start!? Last week, we had Dick Russell on board Princess of Whales for his first public appearance after "Eye of the Whale" was released. We had outstanding blue whales and humpback whales on that trip and then on the next day's cruise, we had both species again, only LUNGE FEEDING in a tight circle around us!
Then in the middle of the week, Steph and our passengers spent some time with a sperm whale, the big, block headed whale of Moby Dick fame. It's only the second sperm whale Steph has seen and we saw our first together on Sanctuary 2 years ago with a boatload of folks from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's board of trustees and Save Our Shores representatives. I was reminded of this Friday, as I sat in the Sanctuary Advisory Council's meeting in Cambria, which is the southern boundary of the Sanctuary. When asked what we were seeing thse days, I rattled off a bunch of the exciting creatures, then Vicky Nichols of Save Our Shores reminded me of the sperm whale, which she learned about earlier. She'd been on that cruise 2 years ago.
Imagine that. Two years ago, we had a small boat we devoted to taking people out onto the sanctuary so they could see what's out there and help protect it. We gave a cruise away to let people know who we were and what we stand for. Two years later, I sit on the advisory council for this sanctuary (I'm pretty sure I serve as comic relief, although they have a different term for my role). We have a fleet of boats, including the grandest boat on the coast of Central California. And we were able to give "Eye of the Whale" a spectacular send-off on what is going to be a magnificent journey of discovery for people who learn of it and open its enchanted pages.
Then yesterday, in crystal clear water that allowed us to see into it at least 100 feet, we had five humpback whales detour from their feeding and come over to us in an incredible display of curiousity! They dove from a few hundred feet away, disappeared into the sea, then loomed below us, their white features (the undersides of the pectoral flippers as well as their leading edges, the barnacle-edged fluke tips, their pleated throats) all sparkling in the cobalt blue. As they rose and twirled, coming ever closer, every one of us aboard squealed and gasped, then their huge heads cleared the surface, an explosive blow shot up and the whales turned and ghosted along the hulls of Princess of Whales, often going from one side to the other in a ballet of gigantic proportions and exquisite grace. What could ever top this?
Perhaps nothing, but then Dick Russell sent an email saying there were two "Eye of the Whale" reviews, one in today's Sunday L.A. Times and the other in the Washington Post (you can read them by clicking on the Eye of the Whale" cover on this page), and that they were so strongly favorable that he was "about to pop!" This comes as no surprise but it is every bit as fine and rewarding as the twirling whales that graced us on the sparkling waters. I would say that these events are of equal magnitude and both make me smile, no, grin like a fool. Life is good.

7/31/2001: "Eye of the Whale" Off to a Smashing Start!

Saturday was the day of our "Eye of the Whale" cruise with author Dick Russell aboard Princess of Whales. What a great treat it was to host 97 people on an absolutely marvelous trip with blue whales, humpbacks and Dall's porpoises!

Dick and his wife Alice had not yet seen blue whales, but they sure did Saturday. We were surrounded by them and the Monterey Bay was so calm and beautiful that everyone was able to take pictures, including KSBW/Channel 8, which came along for the event. A piece on the book-signing aired on KSBW Saturday night, further complimenting the record turnout that helped start Dick's book tour off with such a bang.

We had people join us from locations as distant as England for the cruise, plus the book has been ordered by folks from remote parts as far away as Jen Lee Teh in Singapore, Peter Kohl in Canada and Leslie and Kim Shinoda in the Central Valley. Quite a cross-section, isn't it? They'll find, as we have, that it is a handsome and stunning piece of writing from start to finish. Regardless of how much we thought we knew about gray whales, this book is turning our past knowledge upside down with all of the new findings in it. Even though some of our own discoveries are documented in the book, we could never have met all of the people and compared all of the information Dick has. "Awesome" is a word that is used too much and for items that barely deserve it. "Eye of the Whale" is the exception. If anything, awesome barely does it justice.

This week marked more milestones important to our lives. On Sunday, July 29th, Steph and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. I was paddling amongst icebergs near Yakutat in Alaska just before our wedding and had to hurry home and sew my dress. It has been six years of hard work, triumph, tragedy and great joy. I can't imagine a life without Steph, nor do I want to. We spent our anniversary in the company of even more blue whales and humpback whales, then drove up to Santa Cruz for Dick's first slide presentation on his book and travels. It was great and attended by some interesting people, including several women I particularly enjoyed meeting.

We also met a friend of Dick and Alice's. Her name is Dianne Taylor-Snow and she's a primate specialist who travels the world, often working undercover, investigating the illegal trade in primates. She's also a photographer whose works include the book "Journey of the Pink Dolphins." Dianne joined Dick, Alice, Steph and me at a brew pub after the presentation and I can say with some assurance that the evening would not have been half as exhausting without her being there. Steph says I have all the enthusiasm of an entire third grade. Well, maybe I do but if you gave them all double espressos, you'd be in Dianne's stratosphere.

The evening was warm and soft, a waxing moon dangling a bright bauble of a star held its position in the night sky. We talked of all the endangered species, animals each of us loves and fights for not in theory but on the battlegrounds around the world, and how each creature needs its own voice. That voice might help humans understand the threats to its environment. It might educate people who care and assist them in engaging those who haven't yet cared, convincing them that to save a wild animal is to save a bit of ourselves. That is what "Eye of the Whale" has done and I am glad we've already known Dick for years because if we'd just met him, we'd be completely overwhelmed with his accomplishment and probably find ourselves unable to string simple sentences together in his presence.

Instead, we sat at our table, drinking a fine amber ale and compared notes on the world around us. And we laughed. How do you tell the heartbreaker of a story of animals killed for no good reason without also recounting how an idiotic man involved in the illegal trade of endangered species just dug his own hole and buried himself in it by being allowed to speak freely? Each of us was reminded of a similar story where despite ourselves, we attained our intended goal thanks to great luck or just vast stupidity on the part of someone.

Dianne is a tiny little snip of a woman who looks like the adorable baby of one of her primates. Her talk ranges from her travels in the Orient to the Amazon and onto London, all in the same sentence. She has been to more countries than Steph and I have been to supermarkets, let alone counties and never mind countries, since we started Sanctuary Cruises. Dick and Alice live on both coasts and in the course of one month, can often travel back and forth several times.

But the common thread is a love of wild things and the desire to help them stay that way. At one point, Dianne sat back, peered at us through her round little glasses. She grinned her impish grin and said with satisfaction, "ALL of us have been in books." Yes, but more importantly, the right books.

So that was our week. We were on the water with the world's largest mammals ever. We took kids onto the waters of the Sanctuary and many of them drove the boat and learned about the many jobs a captain must do. We were on television. And we were there, like being present at the moment of creation, when the author of a fine new book began his next odyssey, that of taking it to the world.
No wonder we were zombies all day yesterday.

One more milestone must be mentioned. Alan Arvin became a United States Coast Guard licensed vessel master yesterday and has joined us at Sanctuary Cruises. Alan is a bluewater sailor of vast experience who has been working with us for the past few years. He passed his Coast Guard tests last year and passed them with the highest grades we've ever heard of. But just recently, he compiled his sea time and applied for his license. Alan's week includes a day spent volunteering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium where he and a partner teach conservation to their fellow volunteers. They call themselves the "Con-Artists." It is with great pleasure that we welcome Captain Arvin to our company.

7/24/2001: Humpbacks, Blues & Orcas!
The past week was pretty much the usual for midsummer. We saw humpbacks, blues and orcas. We also saw several giant leatherback turtles (up to six feet long!), the biggest giant sunfish/mola mola I have vere seen (10-12 feet) and we had numerous special cruises with big groups of kids as well as our regular trips onto the bay. If I sound pretty casual about this, think again. No one gets as excited as Steph and I do about the wonderful creatures found out here. And when it comes to getting groups of kids out onto the sanctuary where they can share this spectacular experience, we feel positively blessed.
Kids from science camps at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, UCSC's Seymour Marine Center and the Lyceum of Monterey County's Triad program all ventured onto the Monterey Bay with us. We also were joined by a group of kids from Watsonville who are part of a project called "Your Future is Our Business." They came to us through the auspices of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Lt. Commander Michele Finn, who is a mentor in the program. Everyone has more work to do than hours in the day to do it, I believe. I know Michele fits into this category. But she still makes time to get involved in something that might make a difference in a kid's life. And she took the time to tell us about it and see if we might want to join in as well. Michele had been enlisted by Cheryl Brothers, who is an exhuberant woman with great compassion. Her energy lights the entire group up!
The Register-Pajaronian newspaper published an excellent article on the cruise. Dala Bruemmer wrote it and it's obvious she paid attention. She spent her time on the cruise talking with kids, learning about them and how they viewed the experience. Prior to the cruise, several of us spoke about our work on the water. Kids heard from a Coast Guard officer about his duties. They learned more about Michele, who is not only second in command of our sanctuary, but a pilot who will be trained to fly the hurricane hunters after her tour of duty ends here. Tell me she doesn't inspire young women to raise their career expectations! Knowing a lot of these kids are facing hardships of their own, Steph spoke of the challenges he faced after losing his leg. It seemed to really hit home with the kids.
At the end of the trip, I said, "We work with a lot of kids and you're so lucky if a couple of them walk off with a light in their eyes. Today, I think most of them did. If we can take these kids out there and they walk off the boat as excited as they are, it was worth it."
So we had exciting times on the Bay on several levels. Spectacular sightings, cool kids and people involved in making a difference.

7/10/2001: A Fourth to Remember and Jellies Galore Turn Out for the Wedding!
It could have been cold, rough and foggy for the 4th of July, but it wasn't. We had a silky bay, the catering was top notch, the weather was outstanding. The Monterey Fire Department greeted us with a waterjet salute and welcomed us back to Monterey. Our passengers were ecstatic and stayed that way. The full moon rose into a blue-black sky and hung there, waiting for the fireworks and the fireworks were just a hoot! It was a bunch of fun from start to finish and for those who stayed overnight aboard Princess of Whales, we had a whole new experience waking up with the Monterey Bay, cooking breakfast and padding around with our cups of coffee, taking a walk with Fluke... A little guy named Harrison, whose grandparents had taken him on this enormous adventure, joined our ranks as a Captain-in-Training. He handled some duties on the bridge. Plus, we saw a humpback whale just outside Moss Landing Harbor on our way across the Bay on the 4th, as well as heading into Moss Landing on the 5th. Cool on cool!
More blue whales are reported heading north from Cambria, so we will be seeing larger numbers of them.
Rose and Zeke were married on Princess of Whales last week and the event was crowned by the densest gathering of sea nettle jellies we have ever seen. At least half a mile long, this gorgeous mass of jellies, each about two feet long, had all of us peering into the water. They are the honey-colored jellies you may have seen at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Speaking of the aquarium, it has partnered with Sanctuary Cruises for its corporate programs, which we are extremely proud of!

6/29/2001: The Blue Whales Are Here!
We saw our first blue whale of the season today! Thet are the world's largest mammal ever, making the dinosaurs look like shrimp by comparison. Our first blue whale last year turned up on Father's Day. There will be times during the summer when we may see 30 or more blues as they congregate in rich feeding areas. To see one is a thrill and to see 30? Well, I guess you'll just have to find out what that's like on your own. Come on out with us.

6/26/2001: Summer on Monterey Bay
Everyone has their favorite summer place. For some, it's the mountains. A lot of people gravitate toward lakes and rivers. We are beach and ocean people, which is helpful considering our business. Summer on the Central Coast is fascinating. What is commonplace one year is far from the norm the next. For instance, this year, we are seeing the humpback whales that are here spring through late fall. And we are seeing the dense rafts of younger California sea lions that porpoise out of the water in rowdy play. But the common murres that we usually see in great numbers this time of year have been either fewer or even missing entirely on some days. Dolphins come in and out of the Monterey Bay all year long. But the past few months, we have seen fewer of the big pods. Where are they? Part of the reason for this is where the bait is found. Dolphins and murres eat bait fishes. While we have had good bait in the bay, perhaps it has moved out following a temperature it prefers or more of its food. It's such an interesting puzzle! Here is another piece of the picture for this year:
The albacore run that goes from southern waters to the north here is usually later in the summer. The northern albacore run usually moves from the north to south and occurs earlier than the southern albacore run, so central coast fishers often head to Oregon before fishing here for albacore. But some boats have caught albacore just 5-6 miles off Point Pinos already. Pinos is the southern boundary of Monterey Bay and albacore are usually found farther offshore. As Marvin Gaye sang, "What's going on?"
While often variations can simply be accepted as the normal ebb and flow of life, it's important to question changes found on our waters because some may be pointing to serious disruptions. It all bears scrutiny. For now, the early albacore run is a good thing for fishers who have found the salmon season that started strong has at least for now tapered off. The dolphins and murres have just cycled offshore. The wonderful frolicking humpbacks we've been watching will be joined any day by the blue whales that come here to feed.
Meanwhile, we are looking forward to our first Princess of Whales wine tasting hosted by A Taste of Monterey (Saturday at 6:30 p.m.). Our first individual wedding on Princess of Whales is next week (we already had 14 weddings on her on Valentine's Day!). For the Fourth of July, we are cruising to Monterey for the fireworks, then staying there overnight! Passengers are bringing sleeping bags and their spirits of adventure; how better to celebrate our country's independence?
On July 28th, our whale watching cruise will host Dick Russell, author of Eye of the Whale, a great new book published by Simon and Schuster on the California gray whale that follows it all along its migratory path throughout the centuries. It is a fascinating combination of history and the most current information on our beloved, barnacle-encrusted grays. With an entire chapter called "Monterey," this book has caused quite a stir with whale experts and conservationists who are raving about it. Passengers who purchase the book during the cruise or a social event afterward at the dock will get a chance to have it autographed and will receive a certificate from Sanctuary Cruises good for a 2 for 1 whale watching trip with us at a later date.
Dick returns to the Monterey Bay in January to give a presentation on the gray whale at the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, so we may coax him out onto the water then, too. But this book is to be released next month and we wanted to be one of the first to promote it!
Then on August 11th, Sandy Shore Productions presents Willie and Lobo live and in concert on Princess of Whales. One of their songs is called "Plight of the Whale," so you can bet it will be requested.
Steph and I design cruises that would interest us were we not running them. We are so excited about the summer months for Sanctuary Cruises, it's just a darned shame we can't be passengers rather than the ones running these events.