NationStates Jolt Archive

As many of you probably care little about, I'm on a little project for work that involves an old rust bucket LHA, a missile tracker, and the wide open seas. We are coming back to port in San Francisco after a rougher than expected week at sea. The seas and winds are much lighter than on previous days, so many of us decided to take some sun on the flight deck.

After a nice little nap, I decided to go up on the island and look around. The first thing I noticed is that there is a lot of water off the coast of San Francisco. A little later, I noticed that some of it is sprayed up into the air from time to time. We got out some binoculars and started watching.

It appeared that there were three or four brownish whales heading opposite to our course, i.e. mostly northwest along the coast. We could see them swimming along on top of the water, quite content to just blow some seawater out their blowhole from time to time. They went out of sight before we were tired of watching. What a pleasant afternoon.

And one of the crew caught a yellowfin tuna with a dragline off the stern. Fresh tuna for us tonight!

I baked a Creme Brule, you don't see me starting a thread about it... yet

Missile Watcher?

Shouldn't you be, like, watching missiles or something?

That being said, I like Whales, I was whale watching a few months ago at Harvey Bay.

I baked a Creme Brule, you don't see me starting a thread about it... yet
How silly of me to abandon the traditional topics.

I don't know what a Creme Brule is. Can you make it with whale products?

How silly of me to abandon the traditional topics.

I don't know what a Creme Brule is. Can you make it with whale products?
It's crème brulée, and its cream that was broiled in an oven until it roasted on the top. And it's all dried.

I can't stand it, it's ... repugnant!

It's crème brulée, and its cream that was broiled in an oven until it roasted on the top. And it's all dried.

I can't stand it, it's ... repugnant!
Thank you for your contribution to the "I don't give a damn about your stupid opinion" fund.

It'll go towards ensuring your fridge is always stocked with beer and hotdogs...

It is that time of year for the grey whales isn't? One of these days I'm going to have to go see them.

After a nice little nap, I decided to go up on the island and look around. The first thing I noticed is that there is a lot of water off the coast of San Francisco.
Um... Myrmidonisia, just out of curiosity, what did you expect to find off the coast of San Francisco? Sand? :p

1. Seeing whales in the wild is ultra-cool. I can see why you felt like sharing.

2. That is not how you make creme brulee -- and it is delicious.

It is that time of year for the grey whales isn't? One of these days I'm going to have to go see them.


Um... Myrmidonisia, just out of curiosity, what did you expect to find off the coast of San Francisco? Sand? :p
I didn't expect anything but water. I'm from Georgia and we don't have whales there.

I have never seen whales outside of SeaWorld. Wish I could post pictures, but I didn't have my camera handy and I couldn't bear to go below and get it. When we have dinner tonight, I'll see if anyone has photos.

Thank you for your contribution to the "I don't give a damn about your stupid opinion" fund.

It'll go towards ensuring your fridge is always stocked with beer and hotdogs...
Beer? You want to kill me? I knew it...

I'm 15, I don't drink beer!

And for me whales are only fish! Yes! You heard well!

I'm 15, I don't drink beer!
Okay, Vodka then.

Okay, Vodka then.
Through a hosepipe and funnel...

Okay, Vodka then.
I'd rather take tea... Lady Grey, if possible.

Ok, I'm sorry :( . You were talking about whales...

Ok, I'm sorry :( . You were talking about whales...
It's a non-topic, really. Everyone likes Whales, and everyone's experience with whales is the same.

Ok, I'm sorry :( . You were talking about whales...
I'm not above getting off track. What goes better with bourbon, chocolate milk, Dr. Pepper, or iced tea? We are down to just the bare minimums on mixers.

What goes better with bourbon, chocolate milk, Dr. Pepper, or iced tea?
More Bourbon should do the trick...come on, be manly.

It's a non-topic, really. Everyone likes Whales, and everyone's experience with whales is the same.
Not me. I say "Save the Ozone Layer, Kill the Wales"

Not me. I say "Save the Ozone Layer, Kill the Wales"
I dislike Richard Burton as much as the next guy, but is it really neccesary to destroy all of Wales in retaliation? Maybe we could just scold them and destroy a part of it.

As many of you probably care little about, I'm on a little project for work that involves an old rust bucket LHA, a missile tracker, and the wide open seas. We are coming back to port in San Francisco after a rougher than expected week at sea. The seas and winds are much lighter than on previous days, so many of us decided to take some sun on the flight deck.

After a nice little nap, I decided to go up on the island and look around. The first thing I noticed is that there is a lot of water off the coast of San Francisco. A little later, I noticed that some of it is sprayed up into the air from time to time. We got out some binoculars and started watching.

It appeared that there were three or four brownish whales heading opposite to our course, i.e. mostly northwest along the coast. We could see them swimming along on top of the water, quite content to just blow some seawater out their blowhole from time to time. They went out of sight before we were tired of watching. What a pleasant afternoon.

And one of the crew caught a yellowfin tuna with a dragline off the stern. Fresh tuna for us tonight!I'm jealous, dude. Two years I lived out there, and I drove to Point Reyes to watch during whale migration and never saw one. I did see dolphins playing in the surf in Monterey bay a couple of times, but that's not quite the same. I have a friend out there who dives and swims with sharks, and goes shark watching as well--told me that the most prevalent thing a great white will hit if you want to see one breach is a surfboard.. I'm never fucking surfing.

I did whale watching at Kaikoura several years ago.


Sadly I was too young for any 'Sperm whales are coming!' jokes.

I have a friend out there who dives and swims with sharks, and goes shark watching as well--told me that the most prevalent thing a great white will hit if you want to see one breach is a surfboard.. I'm never fucking surfing.
I recall watching a Shark Week documentry that noted that from underneath, a surfer paddling out on a board looks an awful lot like a seal, which is the shark's main food.

And could also explain why many Great White attacks are one bite then the shark spits the person out. Of course with a Great White, one bite is usually enough.

I recall watching a Shark Week documentry that noted that from underneath, a surfer paddling out on a board looks an awful lot like a seal, which is the shark's main food.

And could also explain why many Great White attacks are one bite then the shark spits the person out. Of course with a Great White, one bite is usually enough.
Yeah, apparently sharks don't like the taste of human, and bite us by mistake. Talk about shit luck--if you kill me, you could at least eat me.

I'm jealous, dude. Two years I lived out there, and I drove to Point Reyes to watch during whale migration and never saw one. I did see dolphins playing in the surf in Monterey bay a couple of times, but that's not quite the same. I have a friend out there who dives and swims with sharks, and goes shark watching as well--told me that the most prevalent thing a great white will hit if you want to see one breach is a surfboard.. I'm never fucking surfing.
After a couple cruises on Navy ships, I've begun to take the dolphins for granted. They are almost always are around ships and look like they're playing in the waves off the bow. This vessel, and I use that term loosely, was towed and it didn't seem to give them the same place to play. We did see a couple harbor seals on the way out of Mare Island.

The most ironic thing is that we lived in Monterey for two years. During one of the peak whale migrations, we paid for a whale watching tour. Never did see any whales on that tour. Now thirteen years later, I've gotten to see what everyone was so excited about.

And one of the crew caught a yellowfin tuna with a dragline off the stern. Fresh tuna for us tonight!
/jealous

OT: 400!

It appeared that there were three or four brownish whales heading opposite to our course, i.e. mostly northwest along the coast. We could see them swimming along on top of the water, quite content to just blow some seawater out their blowhole from time to time. They went out of sight before we were tired of watching. What a pleasant afternoon.

And one of the crew caught a yellowfin tuna with a dragline off the stern. Fresh tuna for us tonight!
Excellent! Well done!

*jealous*

Whales are tasty.