In our February 2012 issue David Swanger tells about the recent, well publicized, interaction between kayakers and humpback whales off Santa Cruz in the fall of 2011.

David tells us what happened while sharing with us the responsibilities we as sea kayakers have when we interact with wildlife.

We'd like to hear your thoughts and experiences about interactions with wildlife while kayaking.

Mikekayak

I go out of my way to avoid any kind of interaction with sea lions when they are present. Most of the other creatures that I encounter, I just watch and leave them unmolested. Well, that's not quite true. I have occasionally pointed my bow directly at a sea gull, or duck, just to see how close I could get before they moved. I've had a few that just sat there and almost got run over. I have to wonder what their thought process is. I like to think they are stunned by the striking beauty of such sleek noiseless craft approaching.

The article about humans and humpback whales off Santa Cruz shows that a lot of people on all sorts of watercraft do not know basic courtesy when dealing with wildlife. I'm glad that Sea kayaker magazine is tackling the sensitive subject. We really can love nature to death if we don't use some self-discipline. Whale calves can been separated from their mothers, and without their mothers protection offspring could become vulnerable to attack by predators. The camera and the binocular are the best tools for observing wildlife. Just because one is mobile in their watercraft shouldn't give license to intrude. It's far better to take a picture from a reasonable distance then to try to closely approach wildlife.

More likely seeing you as a borderline land based bipod psychotic with slow spastic reaction times, muscle movements.


I was in San Diego, went to Coronado before a schooner whale trip. Called whales. Whales arrived below me. Several small and larger craft approached whales blocking their progress south. One had a dog on deck, barking. Helmsman chased whales with dog driving one to the north.

Schooner ? They didn't see whales but we did see birds close up sailing right thru the flock. Nice boat. Great swells off the bar. Beeeutiful.

It is happening again - this time further south in the Avilla Beach area (near San Luis Obispo):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jexfIr5i3hE