WHAT ISHMAEL NEVER SAW . . . . . . OR HEARD
	THURSDAY, 28 JANUARY, a.m. We SCORED! Spent three-and-one-half minutes with a mother, her calf and their escort. Got to swim with the mother and calf until the escort chivied them away from our group after about two minutes.
We followed them for three hours total, but half that time was before we got in, waiting for them to settle down, then more following to see if they would settle again, but the escort (breeding male) kept getting between us and the boat (he may have seen us as a "challenger") and moving the mother and calf along, away from us.
We had a very close call with the fluke of the escort; he came by and brushed the boat. Tanya was very nearly hit in the head, or had her face scraped by barnacles. Showing how close that 40-ton whale's fluke came to knocking Tanya out of the boat!	Photo Courtesy Mike Weber
The afternoon was less eventful - saw lots of whales from a distance. Dropped the hydrophones into the ocean and listened to whales singing and talking. Left for Puerto Plata at 4:30 a.m. on Friday morning to get into port by about 2 p.m. Then some gear-drying and a wine & cheese party at 6 p.m. Off the boat for a meal. Saturday: Up at 7 a.m. Then off the boat by 8:30 a.m., to the airport by 1:30 p.m. and I'm on my way home. All in all a great ending to a good week. Some of my photos turned out well - many were out of focus, but I have my "mental" images in my head. JACKIE McGUINNESS: What a fabulous end to your holiday; the pics are very good, but the ones in your head will only get better with time. LOL PATRICIA YARNOT (who is leaving for the Galapagos): What a trip he's had! We'll have to have a travelogue evening when we get back. RAELENE PINON: Awesome pics! Love the whales . . . so cool. JACK & DIANE NELSON: Thanks; great photos by Neal and his roommate! MAUREEN SCOTT: What a . . . er . . . whale of an adventure! Thanks for sharing. Terrific photos!

A MENU OF TRAVEL WEBSITES I MAINTAIN,
INCLUDING NEAL SKRENES' DIVE TRIPS,
JACKIE & TOM McGUINNESS' CRUISES,
LIZZIE HURTT'S & KAYE ROBERTS' TRAVELS,
THE WOMBAT BEND FOREST FIRE,
SIX RETIRED TEACHERS BICYCLING THROUGH GERMANY,
ANDREA DENNINGER'S JOURNEYS TO ARIZONA,
OUR TRIP TO OUR NEW FLORIDA HOUSE & ITS RENOVATION
JACKIE McGUINNESS' TRIPS TO USA & CANADA,
JACKIE McGUINNESS & RICHARD PARKER'S NEWS
AND MORE, CAN BE FOUND HERE

INTRODUCING MISHA (@RB) & APRIL (@RB), CARI (@RB)
RICO, ROSIEVI (@RB), DAISY2LEGS, LUUCEEE (@RB)
CHRISSI-ONE-EYE (@RB), HEATHER & SWEETEA

Remember to bring along your virtual pooper-scooper!