Whale watching
No, it’s not that kind of whale watching. I haven’t been to the Arden Fair food court lately, have you?
But really, let’s go back to the local news of the hour. I just got a breaking news alert from the Bee on the two ’stray’ humpback whales in the harbor. It’s quite sad, really. The bigger whale is wounded, and the second whale appears to be the calf of the larger whale (mother and baby). Reading about this on the week after Mother’s Day is highly ironic.
Save the whale(s)! [Did anyone ever see that Star Trek movie where the whales were the key to the future of our existence? I LOVED seeing Spock in San Francisco--I think he would blend in perfectly.]
Related posts:
I think the whales are looking for a bus. Maybe. Anyway I had fun imagining the concept. See this post.
It is absolutely disgusting that the hordes of people lining the Port of Sacramento are so selfish that for their own pleasure they are jeopardizing the lives of these magnificent creatures, by adding to their stress with their presence. Why can’t they just go home and let the rescuers try to save this Mother and her calf. And, the media is the most disgusting, with their broadcast equipment and cameras creating more stress for these whales in their effort to get a story to make money on. It makes me ashamed to be a member of the human race when I see all of these selfish people deliberately causing harm to innocent animals.
Could be worse they could have just been called suddenly into existence 2 miles up in the sky and along with a bowl of flowers have just enough time to name a few things before hitting the ground.
john
Marlene, you are EXTREMELY ignorant.
#1) Everyone who has gone out there have been extremely quiet…..The whales don’t know whats going on….If the whales were TRULY agitated by our presence they would swim away (as did Humphrey when he was agitated by the noise).
#2) Whats more disgusting and selfish? A mom who is taking her child to see a whale in person in what is likely going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity or the greedy humans who dug the deep water channel in the first place? How about the man made ships that injured the whales? No, absolutely no mention of that in your comment, just crying about people going out there to view the whale….Go kill yourself now and eliminate yourself from the gene pool. Dumbass.
What makes you think these whales are in any kind of stress from people looking at them? In fact, the authorities will be stressing them a lot more in a few days when they beat pipes together under the water in order to create a noise they don’t like in order to get them moving again. If a few people standing along the banks just watching them can do the same thing without the disturbing noises made by clanking pipes, then all the better, but I wouldn’t count on it. We don’t have to turn our eyes away from wildlife in order to protect it. No one was being selfish by watching these whales in our neighborhood. Wouldn’t you watch them too if they were in your backyard, or would you just turn your head away and go your merry way missing out on a fantastic opportunity that you may never have again when looking harms no one. Sacramento people are not animals out there screaming, yelling and shoving spears at them. They sat quietly on the banks waiting to see something that you just don’t see every day. Maybe you should just get a grip and think about the fact that you are not there and stop being so judgmental about something you know nothing about.
The International Whaling Comission will meet the end of this month in Alaska,where the Japanese are determined to get enough votes to kill even more whales, including Humpbacks. The plight of this mother and her offspring only shows how many dangers these animals face. I am sure that everyone who actually see these whales or are following their story will feel for them and their plight and will support protection for these incredible mammals.
The madness of the whales is getting out of control. West Sacramento is not Sea World. The resources of West Sacramento that is being used to control all of the crowds along with their Chevy Tahoe’s and GMC Trucks is outrageous. The police should be doing something more constructive with their time. I can’t believe they now have porta-potties out for people to use. This is not a spectator sport. I do not appreciate the thousands of people who have come just to catch a glimpse. Stay home and watch it on TV or go to San Francisco, Monterey, or Sea World. I cannot take another week of this madness!!!!!
Good lord. This post certainly stirred the pot (John - LOVED your allusion!)
Noah - was there really a need to get THAT pissy at the end of your comment?
Marlene - that said, I don’t think the whales are jeopardized by onlookers - at least, not more so than by the other inherent dangers in the river, as opposed to their natural home.
And while perhaps these two won’t fare so well, I do agree that their being here may help inspire attention and research and maybe plant seeds of future marine biologists and mammalogists. That’s why we have zoos and sea worlds, etc, to begin with. At least partly.
Saving the whales was fashionable awhile ago. Not so much now. And that lack of attention has allowed countries like Japan and Norway to get ballsy with their whale hunting activities again. And few notice.
THAT’s disgusting.
i grew up in the sacramento area and remember humphry very well. and the fact that people want to go out and look at a wild animal is nothing new. doesnt everybody look out the window when a deer is in the backyard? i now live in alaska and i know first hand that looking at whales or “WHALE WATCHING” as it is known here in alaska is not harmfull to the whales. thousands of tourist fly way up here ever year to WHALE WATCH!!!! so for all the tree huggers get over yourself the whales will leave when they want to leave. and if they die they die, its called natural selection. you are the same type of people that get mad when our troops are sent to deffend your freedoms. i have an idea lets bring all the troops home and send all the protesting hippies to war. at least then they would have something good to protest.
how on earth do we get from whales to troops? puh-lease. save the screed for somewhere else.