What I want to share today, is something that happened to a girl and a Whale. A matter of «gentelman´s word». It was the summer of 2005 when a young girl and a friend started a road trip all the way from Ottawa to Bay of Foundy in Canada, to get to meet the humpback whales. But the real creature´s first contact happened first in Tadoussac, Quebec province. But let´s start from the beginning.

-I want to see the whales said the girl, and her friend arranged
everything to please her. After all she had flew all the way from South America to see the whales. It was known that Canada had great spots to watch them.

The two people of our story arrived at 17:00 to the whale watching point. It felt hopeless because the sun was setting. The place was really in the middle of nowhere, and there were no other costumers queueing.

Judging by the look the desk- lady gave to the tourists that, just extracted her from the deep nail watching session she was into, there was no action that afternoon.

–Is there any chance we can take a tour? Asked the guy, flirting with her a little.

She giggled, kind of flirting too, but before she said a word, as if fate was just welcoming their arrival, the captain of the boat came in and asked to the lousy woman:

-Anyone for the last try today?

-I am in! -said the south american girl jumping with determination and a wide grin, under her excited eyes.

-but at your own risk lady. I must be honest before you waste your hundreds! They might no show up- released the white haired sailor.

Without a trace of doubt, she said to her friend:  -Its on me. I am feeling lucky.

Only a television crew of a swiss channel, (including the reporter) and a scientist shared the boat with them. It was not really a big boat, very close to the water in fact. It was cold that afternoon and windy. Motors on, and quickly they got lost in a river that looked and  tasted like a sea, the Saint Lawrence river of fantastic waters and particular conditions that end up in the Atlantic ocean.

About half an hour off shore and the captain was speaking to our girl, asking her about Latin America and telling her cheerful stories of his long lost love in Cuba. He had eyes full of sailor´s flame, burning at the memories of a far away past crusade. Chatting they were and suddenly she had a feeling, kept quiet, the sailor also had the same feeling and they smiled at each other in accomplice… She started praying loud, in Spanish, kind of invoking the spirit of that waters:

«dear whales, I have come come from very far away. From a place called Venezuela, just to have the pleasure to meet you. I would respect you, and appreciate your kindness to come and meet me too. I want you to know me»

And her friend looked at her like: What the heck are you doing woman? Shut up!!

But he was, as all of them were, astonished when the captain cried out loud:

-BELUGAS!

Immediately he turned the motors off and asked for silence… He whispered:

-This are a very shy type of whales, they don´t like humans. They travel
in groups and are no social, very rare to see them.

The girl couldn´t hold the tears as the captain said to her:

-Whatever you are doing doll, keep doing it. They are here for you.

And she continued: -hey, thanks for coming, I love you, you are amazing creatures come here. I will not hurt you. (This time she was yelling).

It looked like when greeting an old friend by the window of
a train in movement. Then something else happened. One of the
whales deviated, coming straight to the boat… The others froze, not moving , impressed and at the same time amussed…

The beluga knew exactly where to go. It came to the girl, just as close as a curious pet is sure can come to a friendly guest and stopped there. They both looked straight deep into their eyes. The beluga, with its incredible cristaline blue eye turned to see her brown ones. They kept in silence, looking at each other, exchanging sentiments and coded words for a couple of minutes. It was like all the wisdom, all the secret of the sea were shown in that sight and also felt as warm as when a man meets true love.

The girl said to the beluga in a gentle voice now: -thank you for coming to see me, you are a amazing! Thanks…  Ohhh! And please dear «beluguita», if you meet another whales that are your friends, tell them I am here! That I would like to meet them too!

All was silence, a sublime moment, she was in tears, after that brief moment that lasted forever, the beluga turned and left to join the rest of the pack awaiting in the distance, like saying:

-hurry up man! It’s dangerous here!

Fifteen minutes later, a huge female blue whale was there in all its splendor. She was eating, according to the scientist on board. The sound of her breathing breaking the air as a flush of blessed steam.

The Captain said then: – we have been tracking her about a week  and she
didn´t want to show up, until now.  Don´t you want to work with me hon? 

And my dear readers, this is a true story, I can certify it because that girl, talking to the whales and crying in St. Lawrence river in Tadoussac, Canada, was me.

I want to dedicate this story, this first post in English to the memory of my beloved Roxane. A dear friend who celebrated with me every single moment in this road trip in Canada and who was my friend from the very moment we met that summer in 2005 until she left us. I had the privilege to be loved by her. Her spirit remains free in peace like whales in the infinite ocean and in my heart.