The Surfer and the Whale

[3113]

Cool story!

When Southern California surfer Jodie Nelson set out Sunday to standup-paddle nearly 40 miles from Santa Catalina Island to Dana Point, she hoped it'd inspire her best friend, who has been involved in a long and exhausting struggle with breast cancer, to keep fighting. Nelson, 34, whose mother and aunt are cancer survivors, also hoped her nine-hour test of endurance would raise money for two cancer charities and heighten awareness about a plight affecting millions of women.

What Nelson could not have known was that a 30-foot minke whale would swim alongside her 14-foot board and accompany the surfer as she stood and paddled for two of those nine hours, thus joining the cause.

"It was a day that all of us involved will never forget," Nelson said....Larry [the whale] did not merely swim close to Nelson. He rolled around repeatedly alongside her and blew bubbles beneath her board. A film crew was on the escort boat and CNN, Fox News and ABC are just some of the networks she says are interested in the story and footage.

Full story here.

http://images.grindtv.com/images/1/00/29/62/77/296277_m500.jpg

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I hope she hits her goal. Thanx, whale.

 

[TE999]

Wiki notes this happening in their entry on Minke Whales. Minke's like to 'people watch' while people are whale watching.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_whale

 

[R. Richard]

Hopefully the publicity, what with the whale, will help her meet her goal

 

[Handley_Page]

Here, Here.

Can someone explain to me how a whale actually breathes?
Up they come, blowing off - no trouble and then down. When do they get a decent lug-full ?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Here, Here.

Can someone explain to me how a whale actually breathes?
Up they come, blowing off - no trouble and then down. When do they get a decent lug-full ?

It's just like surfacing after a snorkeling dive. You come up, blow out, take a few deep breaths and go back down again. The difference is that whales can go down for a long, long time.