Know it all...

We heard a guy on the dock by our boat expounding about whale watching...

"Oh, it's all political - the whales don't care about boats.  In other places, you can drive right up to the whales.  Blah, blah, blah..."  He was trying to impress his non-boating friends as they were walking down the dock, and he gave his opinion of each boat they passed.

Sounds like he could be one of those who feels it is his God-given right to drive his boat any damn place he wants.  Research shows that the biggest threats to the whales are a diminishing food source and toxins in the water.  It also shows that respectful whale watching doesn't change their feeding behavior.  Respectful means not roaring up on them; not blasting a bunch of noise into the water (by running fast and loud); not speeding to get in front of them, then shutting down.

They are moving to eat.  Get between me and my pizza, and there may be an issue.  I understand their plight.

Sadly, the Southern Resident Killer Whales are also some of the most toxin laden mammals.  Then need all the help (and protection) we can give them.

For about a nano-second, I considered stepping out of our boat to have a conversation with Mr. Know-It-All.  Then, I remembered that saying I am trying to emulate: Not my circus, not my monkeys.  Oh, and: you can't fix stupid.

It's my day off.  I only get two this week, so I have to make them count.  Hard to beat yesterday, but I'm pretty sure having a "battle of wits with an unarmed man" wouldn't be a high point.  ;-)