We recently got invited to go on an adventurous Field Trip with members of the media and staffers of Aquarium of the Pacific. The trip was in search of the Endangered Blue Whale off the coast of Long Beach. We rode on the new MV Triumph Vessel operated by Harbor Breeze Cruises. The new vessel is 83 feet long and it seats 150 people. It has a high-efficiency hull design which features a hydrofoil wing lifting system. The ride on it felt as though we were gently surfing through the ocean water, it was a smooth ride.
Once we reached our destination, we
patiently waited for the Blue Whales to appear. They did not disappoint and soon
appeared in the far distance. We saw the whale’s blow hole shooting water into
the sky. The Captain announced that it was getting ready to dive down to feed.
So we rushed to get a closer look before the whale descended below to feed. Once
the whale dove down in the ocean to feed, it remains below the water for 10-12
minutes before it returns back up to the surface. We stayed closed by and started
watching the time because chances are that it would return in the general area.
This would mean we could capture some amazing photos. We were about to give up on
the whale when it surfaced after 12 minutes of being down below feeding. Funny
thing is that it came up near a fishing boat that was passing by and they
looked as though they never saw the largest animal in the planet. We could see the boat moving forward without
even slowing down to see the whale. In
that moment, we all wished we had been a little closer. Okay, maybe it was just
me wanting to be closer to the largest animal in the planet. Then, just as
sudden as the whale appeared it left.
We were left to wait for a few more
moments before we were surrounded by a school of dolphins. They were dancing in
the ocean and playing with the waves. We all cheered in awe of the dolphins being
so close to our boat. All of us in the boat were taking pictures like we were paparazzi
and the sea creatures were celebrities. It was very exciting to see kids and
adults enjoy the field trip.
There was no dull moment as during
our cruise, the staff would announce over the speaker fun facts about the
whales, dolphins and the sea lions living in the area. Not only were we able to
see for ourselves how whales feed in the ocean, we learned that a mammal that
size can grow to be between 100 to 150 tons in weight and have no teeth.
Instead of having teeth, whales have bristles used to gulp large volumes of
water with food allowing the water to escape but not the food. The favorite
food of this giant is Krill or shrimp-like euphausiids that are three inches
long. Blue whales must eat two to four
tons of krill a day during the feeding season. We learned so much from one (3)
hour trip. My kids and all the people attending that day were fascinated with
the entire experience.
My family would
like to thank Aquarium of the Pacific and Harbor Breeze for making the trip
memorable. If you would like to find out more information on how to go on your own
adventure, go to the Aquarium of the Pacific's website and plan your own trip: Aquarium of the Pacific.
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