Friday 15 August 2003

MarineLand Canada - 15th August 2003

We arrived at 10:30 and I went over to Neocia's tank and I met Kristine (the creator of SOTO). Neocia was just lazing about in the show pool. We talked until the guards let us in. We rushed up the steps and got seats at the slide out. Kristine went down to see Neocia and I waited for more people to come in and I asked 2 ladies to save our seats then I joined her. Neo wasn't really in her interacting mood though. She then went back into her tank and me and Kristine went back to our seats. Then she came back out and I brought down my stuffed orca this time. She sought of looked at it but nothing else. Then when the show was about to start we sat down. It was very good I thought. When It was over we went back down to the glass but Neocia wasn't interested. Then we went to the FC under water viewing, but Kiska and Nootka weren't doing much. We then got in line to touch the Beluga's! I went first! We got a Beluga called Charmin! She was so sweet but quite fat! Then we went over to Kiska and Nootka and watched them for a bit. Then we went over to Hudson and Kandu who were in a separate pool because the girls are pregnant. Then we went to the Orca petting session! We touched Kiska!! She is the first Orca I've evr tocuhed!!! Then we went to the FC under water viewing. We interacted with Kiska and the Beluga's for a bit. While we where watching Kiska and Nootka, Nootka suddenly started to act weird. She looked like as if she was about to give birth! She was swim around the pool very fast and going around and around! Me and Kristine really thought she was going into labour! Then we went to the tank with Kandu and Hudson. Hudson was just doing laps and Kandu was laying immobile but then Kandu was going crazy! He was spy hopping and splashing about like mad! And when he opened his mouth, and blood seemed to come out! The trainer called for someone to check on Kandu. She thought that Kandu may have bit his tongue! Then we did another Orca petting session but with Hudson! He is so sweet! Then we went to the under water viewing (again) and watched and interacted with them for a bit then went to the show and got the same seats. It was a little bit different. Then we went down to the glass and Neocia was interacting with us! I got great piccies! Then We went to another orca petting session and touched Nootka! Then I had to leave :(. But it was a great day that I will never forget!

Pics here:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562541084EtBkum

Saturday 9 August 2003

Orca Watching - Canada - 9th August 2003

Place: Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada
Date: 9th August 2003
Boat name: Super Cat
Boat type: Two decks
How many people it carries: -
Company name: -
Trip length : 3 hours
Successful or Unsucessful: Successful
Who was on trip: Me, Mum, Dave, Mark, Anne, Sally, Jaime, Aunt Marjory
Wildlife seen: Orcas, Northern Elephant Seals, Seal Lions (Northern or Steller's), Harbour Seals

We didn’t see anything apart from Orcas and Seals (I really wanted to see Gray Whales though ). Well… We boarded the boat (Super cat) and I was on front deck! 10 minutes after we were moving the boat went so fast I nearly fell over! Then we reached the area’s where the Orcas had been sighted! We stopped a little further away and watched them surfacing! We saw J and K pod! Slowly they started approaching us! Then an Orca came within 2 meters of us!!!!! But my bloody camera ran out of battery >:(. When they were moving away I saw one spy hop! After they had moved quite far away we went after them but got ahead so they would come to us. Then in the distance I saw one breach :-D!!!!!!!! Then one was lob tailing! They were hunting! Then they came really close to us and were breaching, lob tailing, spy hopping and surfacing right in front of us! When they moved away we went to the Seals (and Sea lions)! We saw Harbour Seals, Steller’s Sea lion or Northern Sea lion and Northern Elephant Seals!!!!! Then we zoomed up to try and catch up with the Orcas! We got ahead and saw the odd on spy hop, lob tail and breach. Then the big one =D… Some of the pod came 1 meter away from the boat XD!!!!!!!!! They were surfacing, spy hopping and going under the boat! It was magical!! We followed them until we had to go into the Harbour . I will never forget it!

A lot more happened but I mean c’mon how am I supposed to remember a 3-hour trip?! =P

Pics here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562801093teVMTn

Friday 30 May 2003

Dolphin Watching - Wales - 30th May 2003

Place: New Quay, Wales
Date: 30th May 2003
Boat name: Ermol 5
Boat type: Smallish, low to the ocean
How many people it carries: -
Company name: -
Trip length : -
Successful or Unsucessful: Successful
Who was on trip: Me, Mum, Dave
Wildlife seen: Bottlenose Dolphins, Gray Seals, Harbour Porpoise?, Seabirds

At 9:30 am we went down to the beach and saw some Bottlenose Dolphins! It was soooooo amazing! Even though they were far away I saw Dolphins in the wild for the first time in my life! At 10:30 we went to the boat (Ermol 5) and just after 5 minutes we saw some Dolphins! They disappeared for a while but then we saw some more and I saw a mother and calf! Then we sailed round for ages not seeing anything except seabirds. Someone told me we were really lucky to see dolphins because there weren't any yesterday(29/05/03)! When we started to go back we saw loads! Then when they went I looked behind the boat and saw a Gray Seal poking its head out the water! Then we saw a few more Dolphins and I caught a rare glimpse of a Harbour Porpoise!!! When the trip ended my Mum saw a Dolphin follow us into the Harbour! I climbed some rocks and was really close! It stayed for 30 minutes and I used a whole film on it! Then I went back to the beach and saw more Dolphins that were closer this time and I also saw two mothers and calves! Then I took a wonder to the Harbour and saw a mother and calf there ( I wanted to take a picture but my film had ended ) Then my dad went to some rock pools and I stayed on the beach hoping to see more dolphins but didn't. Then my dad came back and said he saw a whole school of 10 Dolphins feeding! I was really jealous!

Pics here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562800625dKfvyt

Sunday 23 February 2003

Swimming with Dolphins - ZooMarine - 23rd February 2003

Place: Zoomarine
Date: 23rd February 2003
Species: Bottlenose Dolphin
Main Cetacean Name: Hugo
Other Cetacean Name: Luna and Marco
Trainer: -
Time in pool: 45 minutes?
- There were only 8 of us and we were put into groups of 4 with a dolphin. The pool was a lot smaller than Discovery cove. Our first dolphin was called Luna. The trainer showed some of there sensitive parts and told use not to touch them and then we were stroking her. We were then being moved away so everyone could take there turn of petting her on there own and having photo opportunities. But when it got to the girl before me, the dolphins were getting a bit sexual so we were taken out. Then we tried again but again they were getting sexual so we had to swap. We got the youngest called Marco he was so cute, but he wouldn't cooperate so we had to change pools. We got into the left pool and we were introduced to Hugo. The girl before me finally got her go then it was mine. The photos were great! Then I was taken out to deeper water and the trainer told me to put my hand under water in a cupped position. Hugo came racing up to my hand then he was spinning me round and round. Everyone else got there go. Then the other group and ours used both dolphins, so they could do a 2 dolphin ride! Then it was my go. The trainer told me to bend down then Hugo and their dolphin, Gorky, came racing past me and I grabbed the bottom of there dorsal and took a 2 dolphin ride! I then asked the trainer if we could make Hugo sing, to prove the sound comes from their blowhole and not there mouth. Then that was it!