Beluga Encounter - Mystic Aquarium - 19th August 2004

Place: Mystic Aquarium
Date: 19th August 2004
Species: Beluga
Main Cetacean Name: Inuk
Other Cetacean Name: -
Trainer: Justin
Time in pool: 20 minutes

At 2:30 it was time for my Beluga Encounter! Our trainer, Justin, took the six of us to a room. We put our waders on, but mine was too small >.<. We then talked about Belugas, Cetaceans and stuff, and finally we went in the water at 3:05.
Our Beluga was Inuk, he is such a sweetie! A few weeks before, during an encounter, someone fell on the poor guy and he got totally spooked out, but he did an awesome job with us!
We got in the water with him and then gave him a rub down and then gave him a pat on the tongue. We then got to stroke his teeth, they were quite blunt. We then got to choose if we wanted to be splashed or feel him suck your hand. I wanted to be splashed, but Justin made me do the other thing. I clenched my fist, put it by Inuk's mouth, and then he sucked my fingers in his mouth! I didn't expect it at all, it felt so funny! We then got to look inside of his mouth and watched him swallow some fish, and then Justin made him sing. He sounded so cute! We then got to have a pose photo with Inuk, got to wiggle his rails and touch his fluke. After 20 mins in the water we got out. It was such an awesome experience!!!

Whale Watching - Boston - 16th August 2004

Place: Boston, America
Date: 16th August 2004
Boat name: -
Boat type: Two decks
How many people it carries: -
Company name: -
Trip length: -
Successful or Unsucessful: Successful
Who was on trip: Me, Mum, Dave
Wildlife seen: Humpback Whales, Seabirds

We set off, and the boat was travelling super fast. I was on the top deck, wit the wind blowing in my face. We were travelling pretty fast for a long time, until we slowed down and came across 2 Humpback Whales! It was a mom and her 3-5 month old calf! The mother was called Istar and it was her 12th calf. We watched them for a long time, and the boat people showed us how you could see their white flippers underwater.

Pics here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562801012KPqiSY

MarineLand Canada - 14th August 2004

I got to the park at 10:20 and met Kristine. We went to FC, and watched Kiska and her 6 day old calf. We then went to Kandu and Hudson, and watched the petting session. We then went back to the under water viewing area and watched Kiska, her calf and Nootka do the show from under water. We went back to Hud and Du and watched them for a while. We then went to the Belugas, and once again they didn't interact. After the Belugas, we went to see the Bears. Those Bears are so cute!!! Me and Kristine went back to FC to see if Britt was there but she wasn't. We decided to get some lunch and just as we were heading out of FC, we bumped into Britt and her mom. Because me and Kristine were hungry, we agreed to meet up in the line for tickets to pet the orcas.
When we had eaten, Kristine and I met Britt and her mom in the line. Britt showed us some adorable photos of Shouka!! I was so jealous Kristine and Britt got to meet her!
While we were queuing up, Kiska had leapt out of the water to try and catch a seagull!! I never saw it, but we heard a loud splash and a seagull squeaking.
After we got our tickets we queued up for about 25 minutes. Me, Kristine and Britt chose to pet Kandu. I pet Kandu, and fed him 1 fish and then he swam away to the gate. The trainer had to get him back by slapping a target on the water. When he came back I fed him 2 more fish and then pet him.
After the petting session, Britt and her parents went and got some lunch, and agreed to meet at the Belugas. We still had a lot of time before we had to meet them, so we went to the FC under water viewing area and watched the orcas. We headed off the the Belugas, and Britt and her family weren't there. We stayed at AC for ages and Britt and her family still hadn't turned up. I thought they may have come early, whilst we were at FC, waited and left. So we left AC to go to FC, and met Britt and her family on the way. We split up again, as Britt and her family wanted to go to the Belugas, and me and Kristine wanted to see the Orcas. We went to Hud and Du, and interacted with Huddy.

Later we watched Nootka perform. We hung around the orcas for most of the day, watched Nootka's show 2 more times, and watch Kiska being fed, 2 times.
Kristine and I made friends with a guy who worked there, Dan. I asked Dan when they would name the calf, and he said they would normally name it around birth, but they are going to do a poll.
When Kristine left, Britt and my family headed for Dragon Mountain. Britt didn't ride it but I did. It's so cool!! We left the park at 9:03pm.

Pics here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562605610VRGNJf

MarineLand Canada - 13th August 2004

I got to Marineland at 9:30, and because I had some time before Kristine turned up, I went in the park. At the time, I didn't know Kiska had given birth, and I went to FC. AND I SAW THE CALF!!! The calf is soooooooooooooooooooo adorable! She is 5 days old!! She reminds me of Skyla.
When it was 10:00 I went to the park entrance to wait for Kristine. Kristine turned up at 10:20, and she yelled at me, "Kiska's had her calf!", and I said "I know" and showed her some of the photos I took, and then we went to FC. We watched the calf and Kiska lap for a while and then looked at Nootka. It's so depressing watching her floating at the surface alone. I feel so sorry for her, that all her calves have passed away, and her only living calf, is Splash, but she can't see him. We went to see Hudson and Kandu (who were in the back pool, whilst Nootka was in the old orca tank by her self). Kandu was in his "special spot" as I call it, by the gate, and Hudson was lapping and sometimes stopping to "talk" to Nootka.
Later Kristine and I did the orca petting session and we got to pet Kandu!!!! Kandu is so big, but such a sweetie!!! We then went to Artic Cove to see the Belugas. They were so funny! They'd blow these "rings" and then suck them up. Unfortunately they wouldn't interact. And their new habitat is really nice. I still can't believe 20 Belugas were all squashed together in on of the FC tanks! We went back to the orcas, but it started to rain so we then went to the aquarium and watched the show, and when it finished saw the dolphins, at the under water viewing area. They wouldn't interact either.
A little later we went back to the orcas and we interacted with Hudson. I waved my stuffed orca, and then he would imitate it!! Then Hudson spy hopped and touched my stuffed orca with the end of his nose!!!! He is such a cutie!! Kristine then took out some photos of orcas (e.g Algonquin, Neocia, Splash, Shouka)
Kristine later got tickets for the next petting session, and while she was doing that Kandu came over and interacted with me for a brief second!! Kristine came back and we petted Hudson.
Later we went to the under water viewing area and watched Kiska and her calf. Man, her calf is cute! We then watched Nootka do a show. I guess her show is the most exercise she does in a day. Apart from her shows all she ever does is float at the surface... the poor girl.
We hung around the orcas for a while and then went back to the Belugas. I petted and fed Denise. Denise is so pretty! We then went back to the orcas and at 7:15, me and Kristine left the park.

Pics here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562577756skpHnz