A Glorious Day… and “Thar She Blows”

Today is another one of those days that explains why those of us who live here in the Pacific Northwest choose to remain here. It is drop-dead gorgeous – not a cloud in the sky in any direction.

To the west of us, the freshly snow-capped Olympic mountains are gleaming in the sunlight, set off by green forests and the deep blue waters of Agate Passage in Puget Sound. Truly, the firmament today shows the fathomless handiwork of God himself.

I snapped the above photo early this afternoon just after returning home from church. A few minutes later I was taking in more of the glorious scene from our front balcony, while keeping one eye on the dog attending to his duties, when I noticed the water stirring in just one place about 100 yards off shore.

Such an occurrence I had not seen before, so I kept watching. Suddenly the turbulent water parted, and a large, ballooning mist shot upward some 20 feet or more into the air. I blinked – and blinked again – and yelled for Kay Lynne.

A large whale had just exhaled right in front of our house. After blowing, she slowly rolled forward, back into the water, and her tail appeared momentarily just before she disappeared. It was a visual I’ll never forget.

I assume it was a “she” because I’ve heard of mother Grays and Orcas guiding their calves into the shallower areas of Puget Sound to more easily teach them a life lesson. Usually the sightings occur in the deeper waters of the main Sound,

We have had sightings recently, however, in Sinclair Inlet in the Bremerton area. But never, since we’ve lived here at least, in Agate Passage, which at high tide doesn’t reach 10 fathoms.

I’m going to assume it was a gray whale because I saw no large dorsal that are distinctive of Orcas. But whatever the species, it was large. I just wish I’d have had my camera on the balcony.