Where is Jack, Day 102?

Today we got up at 6:30, got ready, and headed off to Depoe Bay to go whale watching. Peyton road with us and Keely and Michael went in their car. On the way, Nancy glanced out the window and said, "Peyton, there's a whale, look!" She no more than said it and it was gone.  Nancy knew where it was because there was a long flat rock visible behind the whale.

I've never been on a boat before so I was looking forward to it. We got to the dock, and there were two other people who were going on the same ride with us. Nancy and I didn't hear it because she was walking me for my last minute--you know, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do kind of walk. The man said something like, "Boy, how'd you like to be going on that little blue boat (zodiac boat). Well, Captain Carrie came and she was very pretty with long light brown hair. Not only that, she loves dogs and was letting me on her boat!! Geez, it doesn't get much better than that!
Carrie Newell

We were about to leave when she realized she was missing a grey box. She panicked because her captain's license, her cameras, and her GPS and other things were all in it. She ran up to her car--wasn't there. Then she drove back to her office, I think, and she had left it there. Boy, was she relieved. She explained to us what she hoped to have us see, and we got quite an education about the local marine life. Nancy told her about the whale she had seen and where she saw it and Carrie said, "That was (and she named the whale) and he has been feeding right there." She knows many of the whales by name. Can you imagine that? In fact, I think she named a few of them.

Michael and Nancy didn't bring their cameras because they were afraid they'd get wet. Nancy put my life preserver on and Captain Carrie had her dog, Kida, with her.  Well, guess what? It was the little blue zodiac boat we went on. Carry had brought life preservers for everyone and warm clothes. Nancy had gotten hats and socks out for the girls and herself, long underwear, and sweatshirts, and had a jacket for Michael, but Carrie felt we needed even warmer jackets. She had everything to make people comfortable. The man and Peyton were a little nervous, but the rest of us were fine. Michael and Nancy laughed because at one point, Peyton said in a shaky little voice, "Is any one else's seat unstable?" As it turned out, her seat really was a little wobbly. She and Keely sat right up front and Nancy and Michael sat right behind them, and I was on the floor. Then, there was Carrie, and behind her the other two people.

Kida is a pro. He (she?) walks around the edge of the boat as though he's working. He didn't pay any attention to me (guess he was too busy), but I could tell he loves being with Captain Carrie on the boat. What a life!!!

The ride was very exciting. Leaving Depoe Bay we hit some big waves; so big that we hung in the air for a few seconds before slamming down in the water. It was a thrilling ride. I lay down by Nancy's feet and she put a blanket under my chin and her shoe under the blanket so I wouldn't hit it on the planks of wood on the floor. After a while and once out of the harbor, I got used to the motion and went to sleep. Nancy really wished she had gotten a picture. When we returned, Carrie waited outside directly in front of the mouth of the little harbor (though we couldn't see it). She told us that waves usually come in sets of seven (I think). Keely and Nancy were hoping for a wild ride in. Without warning, though, Carrie gunned the engine and we were in the quiet little harbor before we knew it.

Carrie has written a book and worked with Jacque Cousteau. I'll post a picture of her website. The girls each got a book, and Carrie autographed them. We were out for about 2-1/2 hours. Carrie got a hug from everyone when we got back after a very exciting ride. The fog came upon us very suddenly and there were very large swells, so we didn't get to see a whale, and she felt so bad that she offered a free excursion later in the day or tomorrow. Nancy and I would have gone back, but Michael had plans to see other sites since he had limited time. I don't think anyone was too disappointed in not spotting a whale, it was wonderful to see the coast, experience the power of the waves, and just be out on the Pacific. Carrie is so interesting and knowledgeable--I felt we were all better to have met her. I was very glad Keely and Peyton got to meet an extraordinary role model. I think we went out about a mile, but the whales feed close to shore. She found one in 15 feet of water, once. When the fog rolled in (very fast), she said she wouldn't take us in closer to shore because of the visibility and the rocks.

After leaving the dock, they went to Newport to have brunch while I waited in the truck (of course--not everyone is as nice as Carrie). The woman there was nutty as a fruitcake. Nancy was about to lose her temper, but kept it mostly because of the girls, I think. She had to rush through her "Denver" omelet. It was scrambled eggs with raw (large) pieces of pepper, onion, and tomato on top. The only thing that was chopped was the ham--into such tiny pieces we could only find 3 or 4. Not only that, they got Keely's order all wrong--they were trying to pass an Italian omelet to me, first, and then goofed her whole order up. All the while, Nancy kept telling the nut that she had to be back to hook up the trailer--as a matter of fact, she asked the crazy lady straight up front how fast they could be served. "Kitchen is not busy," was the answer. Well, at any rate, Nancy arrived in a rush at the truck and we hurried back to the park trying to get hitched up by 1 p.m. Nancy did inside and out in just under 20 minutes. Just as she finished, she looked up, and there was a ranger ready to give her a lecture about being considerate, and how he could fine her, yada, yada, yada. Eleven minutes late and no one had arrived at the site, yet.

Nancy had told Michael to go on and do some of the coast with the girls so that was the last we saw of them until tonight. They saw a lot. They went to the sea lion caves and a lighthouse or two. Nancy and I headed for Tillamook where we will stay for a week because Nancy has to get her oil changed, do laundry, wait for mail from Susie, relax and read a couple of books, and figure out where we're going next. Michael and the girls head home, tomorrow. They went to Mt. Hebo on the way here, and also into Tillamook to eat dinner. We must have passed each other because we went in to the grocery store to stock up our bare cupboards and refrigerator. It has been lots of fun having the girls with us and Nancy was happy that they could see so many new things.

I'm hoping I haven't gotten days mixed up. If I don't do the blog every night, it's difficult.