Day 13 - Sunrise to Sunset

The day started out very early for me.  My alarm went off at 5:15 am.  I was taking a sunrise whale watch with the Pacific Whale Foundation on their rubber raft.  I highly recommend the raft, however, you may want to sleep in and take a later outing.  The sun was rising over Haleakala but there were a great many clouds.

The ride on the raft was surprisingly smooth.  It is much smaller than the other boats and we had a total of 25 people on board so it was nice and intimate.  No matter which way I looked I would be able to see whales and not have to fight a crowd to take a picture.  I was also able to talk to the naturalist on board and she answered all my whale questions and due to all the reading and whale watches I have taken, I was able to answer all of her questions.  I was able to discuss the PBS special on whales I had seen the night before with the captain.  Watching PBS pays off!  We say so many whales and I took hundreds of pictures.  However, the sun wasn't as bright and later cruises so the pictures look a bit gloomy but I am sure I can do something with Photoshop.  The whale watch was fabulous and with a smaller boat, the whales came much closer.  We were startled several times by whales come up very near to our raft.  Left side, then right side and when they exhale the noise is incredible when you are only a few feet away.  We had a pair startle us on the left side of the raft.  I wish my pictures were better.  The swam in quite the synchronized fashion.

 Just a quickly as they appeared, they disappeared.  I saw so many whales and whale tails.  We finished the whale watch by zipping over to a competitive pod.  That is when a group of males attempt to impress a female whale.  Usually that is when the whales are breaching, head bobbing, etc...in an attempt to impress the female.

We were back in the harbor by 8:45 am.  It was very early but it seemed like I had done so much already.  Back to the condo.  We relaxed a bit and then headed out for our favorite shaved iced.  It is so good.  I am really going to miss it when I get home.  We then decided to head for a beach.  For some reason our beach was empty. 

I was in a really good mood and expressed my feelings in the only way you can on a beach.

Every time I tried to read my book a whale would splash so I didn't finish the book.  I spent more time watching for whales and turtles.  A few turtles would occasionally pop up their head and then dive.  We spent some time laughing at the crabs.  They are very territorial and spend most of their time trying to get into another crab's hole in the sand.

All afternoon the crabs danced on the sand, running between holes and trying to avoid the surf.  All too soon the day was over.  The sunset and we had to return to the condo.

We actually went out to dinner.  There is an Italian restaurant and they serve rice noodles instead of wheat.  We walk past it each day and this week they put up a sign that they now have gluten-free pizza.  I had the pesto three cheese and it was delicious.  Mom had regular noodles with alfredo sauce.  Exhausted from a long day we head back to the condo.  Hopefully that damn rooster will sleep in also.