To complete the final leg of our journey to Kodiak we boarded the M/V Kennicott, an Alaska Marine Highway System ferry. The Kennicott is the newest vessel in Alaska's fleet and will carry nearly 500 passangers. On our voyage we had lots of room to spread out as only 19 passengers were aboard.
After sleeping on the aft sun deck I awoke to cloudy skies and calm seas. Meghan continued to sleep. The air was crisp and inviting so I stepped out to the starboard rail. I watched the sea roll past and scanned the horizon. A few minutes past as my eyes adjusted to the vast new space in the distance. The grey sea was bound by mountains to the north and west. The first movement that I noticed was what I was sure to be the bright white sail of sailboat. I thought to myself, "this is a long way out for a sailboat." But then, suddenly, the sail seemed to vaporize and disappear. Before I could think another thought a second 'sail' appeared and disappeared. "Spouts of a whale," I said aloud to no one in particular. For the rest of the trip I searched the horizon for more.
About an hour later off the starboard and much closer to the Kennicott another pod of whales appeared. These whales were close enough to be identified as humpbacks. Although the fins of humpbacks might look like the dorsal fins of killer whales, this "finning" behavior is one way to identify humpbacks. Before the end of our voyage I spied at least three different pods of whales.
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