The gentle giants of Nature

I drew the curtains of the hotel room window at 5.00 AM with a steaming mug of coffee in my hand. I beheld the spectacular scene at the break of dawn.Viz. a pastel-blue sky and endless ocean between the coconut palms with an orange hue where the sun was just touching the horizon at the break of dawn. I had very good reason to be up this early. A boat excursion to observe one of the natural wonders of the ocean, if not the entire planet would be an entirely novel experience. The greater excitement however was catching a glimpse of those magnificent aquatic cousins, the whales. I had planned every possible detail for the last few weeks and even had a little notebook for the occasion. It was highly unusual as I normally prefer to lunge into adventure headlong. But then, I always had the comfort of the earth beneath my feet before.

A T-shirt, cotton shorts, and leather sandals were my choice attire for the trip. I was generous with the sun-protection lotion expecting a blazing mid-day sun. My binoculars, digital camera and a wide-brimmed safari hat completed the accompanying gear. Our excursion group had decided to meet at 5.30 AM for an early breakfast, but it was eventually past 5:45 AM when I ambled into the hotel restaurant. Meals are recommended at least two hours prior to a sea voyage, to prevent seasickness. I felt little appetite, but once I started I soon enjoyed a hearty breakfast. It was a relief for all of us to finally set off from the hotel towards the Mirissa harbour.

I have always been fascinated by Elephants since childhood. I was similarly intrigued about whales, but until just a few years ago seeing a whale in reality was an impossible dream for most of us. I used to devour Discovery channel documentaries about them, and my impression of whales has always been jaw-dropping awe. I don’t wonder that everyone else feels much the same way. We reached the Mirissa habour at just around 6:30 AM and the weather continued to look very promising. There were just six of us passengers, and the boat could comfortably accommodate up to eight, excluding the crew. Our host, Paradise Beach Club Mirissa, had supplied us with essentials for the trip, which comprised of a light mid-morning snack, bottled water, and medication for seasickness. From the point of view of safety and logistics, the boat was equipped with a First-Aid kit, GPS navigation, a fish finder, communication equipment, life rings, fire extinguishers and above all an experienced crew and life-guard. Once we were satisfied with the logistics, the general conversation drifted towards our journey’s ultimate objective. We began to exchange what little we knew about whales, referring now and then to our pocket-guides.

Whales – A Synopsis

Whales, dolphins and porpoises are marine mammals that belong to the scientific order Cetacea. They are one of the most intelligent species next to us human beings on the Planet. Paleontologists believe that they first evolved some 55 million years ago from land mammals that migrated to the sea. There are two main suborders of Cetacea; Mysticeti, commonly known as baleen whales, and Odontoceti, which are toothed whales. Baleen whales have a filter called a ‘baleen’ that is used to sieve tiny food such as krill, plankton and schooling fishes. The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a baleen whale, and is the largest species in the entire Planet. They are an endangered species. Toothed whales are predators that eat a variety of marine wildlife. Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), oceanic dolphins (Delphinoidea) and river dolphins (Platanistoidea) belong to the toothed whale category. Although smaller in size compared to the Blue, they are no less intriguing.

Displaying the trademark mammalian traits, whale calves suckle milk, and all whales are supposed to have a little hair on them. Curiously, whales are conscious air breathers, which means that they simply cannot ‘forget’ to breach the surface of the water regularly to catch their breath. When whales sleep, only one of their brain hemispheres actually rest, while the other stays up sentry to prompt a breath at regular intervals. One could call it a ‘cat-nap’. The Dolphin is by far the brightest in the whale family and believed to be second in intelligence only to us Humans.

Much of the whale activities take place in the deepest parts of the ocean. They only breach water 20% of the time and spend the rest of the time at inaccessible depths. Therefore marine biologists have a difficult task in observing whale behavior, resulting in it being a poorly explored area of wildlife research. From the little that we do know, the calves are fiercely protected by their mothers, and pod members contribute in community care for the young, quite similar to elephants. Inter-species friction is not uncommon and is mainly believed to result from competition for food resources and habitat, similar to land dwelling mammals.

Sperm whales, blue whales and spinner dolphins are quite frequently spotted in the waters close to Mirissa. The vast expanse of the Indian Ocean south of point Pedro up to the Antarctic land-mass was earlier believed to be frequented by migrating whales during the period November to March, as they went in search of food and breeding grounds. But now marine biologists believe that there are resident whales in these parts. Consequently whales are sighted throughout the year.

Non-intrusive Eco-tourism

Sri Lanka boasts of a rich bio-diversity for a relatively small island. Non-intrusive wildlife tourism is an important aspect of ecological education, be it marine or land. Observing wildlife in their natural surroundings is acknowledged by conservationists as an important element in the appreciation of wildlife, which results in better awareness at an individual level and helps advocate its protection. Yet conservationists are also wary of elements with little regard for the protection of natural heritage for shortsighted economic gains. The good news is that the protection of the eco-system is seriously considered by many conscientious tour operators. Paradise Beach Club was certainly one of them. They diligently observed the recommended code of practice and in addition I could sense in them a deep respect for their natural surroundings. The visionary owner Ananda Jayadewa takes pride in the un-spoilt surroundings of Mirissa, from where he hails. Ananda started the hotel in 1983 with just five simple cabana huts and now runs a successful hospitality business. He is a strong believer that their natural and cultural heritage should be protected for future generations as well as for their own livelihood.

The crew helped us secure our life-jackets and we set sail towards the deep blues. I remember the breeze caught me unprepared as we set off, and I struggled to adjust my hat. The crew assured us that it was a calm sea. After a slightly anxious start during which I adjusted to the swaying and the salty sea-spray, I relaxed and began to chat with my fellow passengers. The sheer beauty was breathtaking and we sailed on for about two to three kilometers into the ocean in the hope of spotting whales. We saw various species of fishes and some turtles too. After some distance a pod of spinner-dolphins raced along the boat playfully. The passengers huddled to the sides of the boat to enjoy the view as some of the dolphins began to breach water. Welcome to our playground, they seem to say to us. It’s difficult to describe the emotions that engulfed us. We could see they were trying to play with us, splashing water on us sometimes. They accompanied us in this way for some distance, and then to our dismay they went on their way. We passed more fishes of various proportions and colors and our cameras captured the moments obediently.

Beholding the whales

It was around 8:00 AM when we caught our first glimpse of the giant blue whale. I focused my binoculars on them I saw a small group of four or five Blue whales. There was a juvenile was among them as well. The boat engine stopped about 300 meters close to the whales and went into stealth mode. As the whales swam among the waves like gentle submarines we watched them in awe. Their agile movement is quite surprising for a frame so humongous. We noticed that they breached water without splash. We all held our breath fascinated. They dived back into the water with their tail pointing towards the sky, the signature sign.

I could never tire of watching them and I can vividly recall the motion picture in my mind’s eye. It seemed as if one by one all the giants entertained us, slipping out and into the water. So close, and yet a mystery to us for the most part. I wondered what could be going on in their heads, if they could think. Do you know that we represent the same kind that chase you out of your habitat, kill your kind with our heartless metal sea monsters, and pollute your environment, all contributing loss of your habitat and to global warming? We humans, who are supposedly the most intelligent species on earth, turn a convenient blind eye. You have equal rights to this earth’s resources.

When the pod eventually departed, we reluctantly turned back with mixed feelings. Feelings of gratification, and a nagging sense of sorrow. Gratitude because we took away with us the little insight that a few moments in their presence could afford, and wretchedness for the plight of these gentle giants with whom we shared evolutionary ancestors millions of years ago. I could almost hear those ancient words of timeless wisdom ringing in my ears.

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it.

Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.

All things are bound together.

All things connect.”

– Chief Seattle, 1855.