A MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE by Larry

We are riding the Spyhop, North in Monterey Bay. Is the boat now okay ? This is a surprise treat, as we had to switch plans this morning because the Astrix became unreliable, as was this Spyhop. My virgin kayacking experience was the alternative this morning – and it was awesome !

“Larry, you take the bow watch ’10 to 2’.” I really got to take the bow, as I was sitting at the point of the Spyhawk, holding onto the railing, as we bounced on the swells of Monterey Bay. The wind and spray could not wash off my grin, as I scanned the blue expanse before me. I’m wishing I had my 20D – but maybe not! The Powershot point-and-shoot now has salt residue from this morning’s kayacking adventure. I do have THAT camera under my Personal Floatation Device (what do I know – I thought it was a “Life Preserver”).

“Harbor Seal at 2 o’clock.” “Good spot!” answers Peter. There sure is lots of waves and surf to scan. Peter, covering 2 to 6, shouts: “Sea Otters at 3 o’clock.” Seems pretty far out in the Bay for them, without kelp. We had been watching 60 sea otters, back in the Elkhorn Slough estuary, for the past two days. There they are – just doing their adorable “sea otter thing” : floating on their backs; groom, groom, roll, groom, roll.

Now my hands are getting tired, and I’m losing the Leo Decaprio feeling, at the point of MY boat: “I’m the King of the World!” Sean breaks the silence: “I’m going to check those circling birds, off shore, at 2 o’clock.” Later we found out that Anna had given Sean some direction.

All five of us watch the rolling surf, under the flock of feeding birds. As the gap closes to about 200 yards, Sean shouts over the wind: “There They Are!! Dolphins at 1 o’clock!!!” Where? Where!?! Then my grin gets even wider, as I see that first dorsal fin in my binoculars. It is breaking out of the white surf, heading North towards Santa Cruz. We are going fast now, and the spray and bouncing means hold on tight, as my wet shoes point the boat. Peter shouts: “ Larry, watch under the bow. They are coming under us.” I’m thinking: “How the hell did they get here so quickly? I just saw the fin parallel to the beach.” I then look down between my feet. Oh My God!!! There are two grey and white slick bodies. They are just under the water surface, going the exact speed as our boat, as if they were attached to the point! I am looking down, over my First Wild Dolphins!

Like a light switching off, they are gone. I am smiling in shock, and Peter shouts: “There are four of them off the port bow!” As I look to the left – there they are – porpoising at our same speed. When they are out of the water, I see grey, smooth, glistening bodies – like well polished autos. They travel along side, like an escort into THEIR land. How do they do that – match our speed and direction – seemingly with NO effort ?

The whole scene seems surreal –even though I have seen it before, on TV and in movies. They seem to be glancing at us, with grins on their faces, as they perform these acrobatics. I feel like they are saying: “Look what I can do!” (And I do not see this feeling as anthropomorphic – they DO seem to be thinking at a level higher than I have ever seen in an animal.) Finally, they drop down, in unison. Then “bow-ride,” under my feet, for a few seconds – and they are gone.

They were in complete command of this species interaction. I am in total awe! I have seen many other animals in the wild. All of them run, or move away, when approached. But this is the first time I have experienced another wild animal COME TO ME ! They, openly, came to “check us out.” There is no doubt that THAT is what they were doing. They had come, from a distance, to where WE were , and were not hiding when they got there. We were the visitors – and they left no doubt as to where we were – in THEIR habitat.

I am so very privileged !