Friday, June 29, 2012

Considering a change of career...

Is it a change of career when you are actually retired?  I think I want to be a weather reporter... oh, I know I talk about the weather a lot on this blog, but when you're out on a boat, weather is always on your mind.

That rainy forecast for this afternoon?  Yeah, it didn't happen.  In fact, it was so nice that I actually took my jacket off while running the boat.  The sky wasn't a clear blue, but it was partly sunny.  And humid... Texas kinda humid.  Not much wind, but the sea state got a little sloppy south of Cattle Pass (not unusual).

And there were whales!  J-Pod, and they were active.  The guests on my boat got a great show... I would like to say it is because of my great whale intuition, but I was fortunate -  every way I turned, the whales turned.  At one point, I had several other whale watch boats following us. :-D 

Even the naturalist was impressed... I told her it was my new secret weapon: I painted the bottom of the boat black and white! ;-)  Yes, I'm kidding.  Sometimes you just get lucky.

No, I don't really want to be a weather guy.  I just want the right to be wrong more often than not, and not lose my job.

Speaking of my job, we are now 1/3 of the way through the season.  The time is going really fast.  I'm getting comfortable with the boats, the water, the erratic whale movements, and the less than accurate weather forecasts.  Listening to the guests gasp when they see these magnificent creatures never gets old!  I still find the occasional whoops and hollers coming out of me.  And the best part: it is never the same thing twice... oh, I have gotten to the same spots now and then, but usually by different routes and always with different wildlife; and it goes without saying that the weather makes it a different game every single day.

What an interesting way to spend a summer season in the Pacific Northwest.


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