Happy Fall! Even though I am excited about the fall, I had a fantastic summer.

One of the last adventures I had to close out the summer was a whale and wildlife sightseeing cruise from Anacortes, Washington. It did not disappoint! We saw seventeen orca whales, one humpback whale (the largest humpback whale I have ever seen!), one minke whale, dozens of steller sea lions and harbor seals, plus many birds and seabirds. The boat traveled south into the Salish Sea, where we saw most of the wildlife between San Juan Island and Vancouver Island. This is the second time I have seen orcas in the wild, and it was just as magical as the first.

I visited SeaWorld in San Antonio, Texas, many times when I was younger. I still remember the first time visiting the park. I was about 19 years old at the time, and I was so excited that I was shaking. My mother, grandmother, and I had been planning the trip for a while.  By the time we arrived, I knew the entire layout of the park. I had memorized the map and taken the routes, to what I knew would be my favorite attractions, in my head countless times. When the day finally arrived, I made sure we left early in the morning so that we would be at the park before it opened, and one of the first to enter. I was ready!

​I believe seven orca whales lived at SeaWorld San Antonio at that time, five of which performed during the show we saw. They were incredible to watch; all of them graceful and majestic. I kept looking towards the pen area, knowing I would be sitting over there later that night having dinner while they swam next to me. In addition to a day at the park, we had also purchased the Dine with Shamu Dinner. The dinner experience was also a memorable event.
​I dined on chicken strips, burgers, fish (the irony of eating fish at marine life park was not lost on me), and dessert. All while, the whales looked happily to swim around the pen area and perform small tricks for the diners. They were taught to wave their flukes, pectoral flippers, and even their tongues for us. In all, the day was as delightful as I had hoped it would be. I still left the park feeling sad, but I wasn’t sure why.

It concerned me to see the number of boats around the whales, though. We were one of three larger tourist boats, plus there several smaller vessels, including a small research boat. I hope the noise from the engines was not causing too much noise pollution and interrupting their communication. I did notice that each vessel kept a respectable distance and turned off the engines while idling.

It is always conflicting for me when I go on a sightseeing cruise. I am usually excited about the possibilities of what we will see, but also know I am causing an impact on their environment and habitat. I am grateful to be able to see wildlife in the wild, instead of in captivity.

What was your favorite nature or wildlife experience this summer?​