The Blue Whale

It was a long, long time ago. In an unspoiled land, at least back then it was pristine. It was northwest on Glacier Highway, bypassing Mendenhall Glacier, out in Auke Bay; the closest town was Juneau – Alaska – where everything is big. It was early spring, 1975, and a chill was in the air, as it often was during the six months I lived in Juneau.

I had gone fishing with my mom and my boyfriend, Bill. We stood on the wet, slippery rocks and cast out into the Bay, hoping to haul in a fat, shiny salmon or two. Funny, but to this day I cannot remember if we caught any fish.

But I do remember that as we packed up and carefully tip-toed back toward our car I looked up. I am not sure why. But what I saw in the gray, overcast sky was etched into my memory and it remains there today. I would guess that there were at least fifty large, handsome bald eagles soaring in the gray, overcast sky. Too many to seem normal, even in Southeast Alaska where bald eagles are plentiful.

Mom and Bill continued the trudge over the slick surface and I hesitated. Just as I was about to call out to them to turn and look at the mass of bald eagles, I was overcome with bewilderment. In a fleeting moment I understood why the bald eagles had gathered.

On that chilly day I saw the biggest animal I have ever seen. A whale. A whale that was so big I cannot even fathom how large it was. It might have been a right whale (45-50 feet) or maybe even a massive blue whale (100 feet!). I’ll never know. It looked larger than the expanse of a football field. But what I will never forget was the sight of that whale rising out of the sea and the bald eagles hovering above the immense mammal – probably scouting for the fish tagging along with the whale.

And just as I had gathered my senses the whale disappeared back into the deep. It all happened so quickly. I was stunned. I didn’t believe I could adequately describe what just transpired to Mom and Bill. They would not be able to comprehend the vision. Hell, they probably would have thought I was joking.

So I caught up with them and continued the walk to the car. The bald eagles dissipated. The whale swam on.