We have had whales now in the waters for a few months and it was just a matter of time, good conditions and motivation for me to have my first encounter. There has been very consistent surf this winter and I have taken to riding a local break at north Kaanapali on my wave ski. Today, 1-13-10 I went there with the intent of getting some waves. The swell is still running and unfortunately there was an on shore wind this AM that was causing a lot of bump and chop mixed in with the waves themselves. While watching some sets come through a friend who is a surf instructor there pointed out a whale just out past the surf, probably a few hundred yards from shore. He said he was going to paddle out on a board to get closer to the whale and I decided to grab my camera, fins and mask and paddle out on the wave ski.

My friend was already out there by the time I had gathered my gear together and paddled out. As I approached him, I saw a tail break the surface right next to him! I decided to paddle further to the north of him and the whale and see if by chance the whale would check me out as well.

I got in the water with mask on and camera in hand and looked to the south to see if I could see anything. Unfortunately the visibility was not that great and I couldn't see very far underwater. I looked above water to get my bearings and I saw my friend paddling north and outside of me a bit. I then looked back under water and could barely make out a whale swimming by outside of me and to the north. I figured this was the whale and that this was going to be the extent of my encounter; a brief glimpse in the "haze". But then, I saw another whale coming by closer to me and indeed there was a calf above it. The first whale I had seen was the escort. The mother and calf were pretty close to me but with the visibility what it was, I suspected I would not get much more than some "proof of story" shots.

The calf was on the other side of the mother from me which is typical and I would see it and then it would be hidden by its mother's bulk. They continued north just a bit and then the mother made a turn to the outside and continued to turn.

Keeping her calf to her port side, she completed a 180 degree turn and was now heading south with the calf closer to me and on my side of her. Cool! I think I anticipated some good possibilities now and the lighting was in the right angle!

She wasn't just heading south but also in towards me!! This was not expected and definitely exciting!!

Bringing the calf back to see me was a first for me and what a great way to start the season.

This was getting to be interesting as she kept coming and getting even closer.

Even though the visibility was not great, I figured by this time I was getting some decent shots. I was pointing the camera in what I hoped was a true aim but watching the whales directly and not through the view port. They were much closer to me than the images might imply.

I could clearly see both the mother and calf looking at me and still they approached!! I had my camera in one hand and with the other hand I was holding on to the nose of the wave ski.

At this point, the mother is now passing me by and in less than an arms length reach. I was focused on the calf who is still headed right at me and I think I had a fleeting thought of hoping the mother didn't decide all of a sudden that I was any threat to the calf.

You can make out the mother's eye just leaving the frame of the image in the shot above. She is also in the process of turning and going right under me presumably to steer the calf away. I would guess that she was less than a foot away from me and I recall that both she and the calf had to arch and bend away from me as I figured contact was imminent. I have heard numerous tales of how strong the kinesthetic awareness is in these whales and today I certainly experienced it first hand.

A close encounter is one thing but this seemed like a physical encounter was moments away! I could have put my hand out and been in physical contact with both the calf and its mother.

I watched both pectoral fins and tails articulate on the calf and mother in such a manner to avoid contacting me.

In the shot above, you can see the bottom of my wave ski and the paddle that is hanging off of it. In my focus on the whales and their proximity to me, I completely forgot that they had not only me to avoid but the wave ski as well.

They were now going up sun from me and approaching poor lighting conditions although they probably had a better view of me now.

My friend yelled to me before I was in the water that there were dolphin with the whales but I never saw them. However in the image above and below, I believe the profile of a couple of them is there in the murky mist (very bottom of the images, at the edge)

I think the mother was checking me out with the improved lighting conditions (for her).

With curiosity satisfied and perhaps a close quarters drill now under the calf's belt, away they went.

Last year, my first encounter of the season was an exceptional one with a pair of sub adults electing to swim right by me. I suspected that the images I got of them might be the best I would ever get. My first encounter this season has now surpassed that one I believe; not only in terms of the images but the experience itself. This mother clearly turned around and came back with her calf to check me out and they were willing to do it as close as possible which was certainly OK with me!! I believe the lapsed time from the first image to the last image is about a minute.