Something to give you nightmares

[DanR]

Humpback and kayaker

Folks, this is for real!!!! This happened in the last two weeks. The spawning Herring are in the Sitka Sound and when they are in, all the predators arrive to feast. Dr.Kraft happened to be in the wrong place at the right time!!! The Whale was coming up under the schooled herring which the whale had schooled with a circling motion driving the Herring into a ball through which the whale comes up through. This is a once in a life time photo and I wanted to share with all of you.

I couldnt resist sending this one along. The photo was taken at the entrance to Katlian Bay at the end of the road in Sitka . The whale is coming up to scoop up a mouthful of herring (the small fish seen at the surface around the kayak). The kayaker is a local Sitka Dentist. I havent talked to him yet, but havent heard of any injuries out of the experience.

Enjoy,

Says Dr. Kraft:

Yep, that is me in the picture. Yep that is a whale that was just around the corner from the ferry terminal.

"Paddle really fast" is the only thing I could think of at the time..

Also thinking that I don't look like a herring, don't smell like a herring but with the same herring instinct of "get the hell out of the way of that big mouth!!"

Still living to tell yet another story.. Rich K

Sitkas very own Dr. Richard Kraft during one of his routine oral examinations:

[bob budd]

Were one to exercise appropriate caution and observe the feeding behaviour this sort of circumstance is totally avoidable. I'm glad the whale wasn't injured.

[brambor]

amazing.

[Phil Allen]

nice photoshop work, but whoever did it forgot the reflection of the kayaker. (see reflection of whale in water).

and do we need to add this to our beach briefings as a possible hazard to be concerned with?

Phil

[bob budd]

...nice photoshop work...

It obviously never occurred to me. I paddled in Vancouver with a guide who experienced the beginnings of this feeding behaviour and had ample time to leave the area. The water takes on a different colour and texture as the "netting" collects the prey. I've been asked several times what draws the whales to Race Point and can only assume it is herring.

[Phil Allen]

Just because that image is photoshopped doesn't mean it can't happen. IIRC, there's a report of a kite surfer in australia having a whale come up under him, numerous stories of sailing boats colliding with whales and the folks in provencetown who got knocked out/fell out of their canoe after being bumped by some cretacean.

Phil

[brwells]

nice photoshop work

So are you saying the Herring were colored Red?

[NPSheehan]

A peek at the metadata embedded in the foregoing image reveals not only that it has been Photoshopped, but also by whom: Tim Shobe, a photographer in Sitka, Alaska.

A search of Shobe's online gallery produced an exact match of the image minus the errant kayaker. See complete article below.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/fish/ss/h...d_kayaker_2.htm

It is a cool picture but I'd bet a humpback would realize if a kayaker was above it while feeeding and this type of thing could never happen.

Neil

[DanR]

A peek at the metadata embedded in the foregoing image reveals not only that it has been Photoshopped, but also by whom: Tim Shobe, a photographer in Sitka, Alaska.

A search of Shobe's online gallery produced an exact match of the image minus the errant kayaker. See complete article below.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/fish/ss/h...d_kayaker_2.htm

It is a cool picture but I'd bet a humpback would realize if a kayaker was above it while feeeding and this type of thing could never happen.

Neil

I liked the image and that is why I put it on the site. I realize that this couldn't happen, and I don't think I would be overly concerned about it when paddling ...

[Pintail]

Yes, Dan; but...<Folks, this is for real!!!! This happened in the last two weeks...>. Yeah, right (as they say)!

In any case, this might present just one more reason for <not> having a rudder? (Confounded contraptions!)

[rick stoehrer]

what? i believe everything i read and see on the internet...don't you?

[PeterB]

what? i believe everything i read and see on the internet...don't you?

FYI , Photoshopping water is really easy.

I hardly know Photoshop at all, and even I could remove the kayaker from that picture in about 10 minutes.