It all started when we rode over in the jeep to Bar Harbor, ME, already having coats, jackets, hats, gloves, and other items items in a duffel bag. It was going to be cold on the moving boat, going against the wind over 30 mi per hour.
Dad dropped us off, and we departed to a shop close to the place where the whale watching boat takes and drops off. We already had reservations, and now all we needed to do was to tell them we were the Bournes and that we wanted our tickets. While Dad parked, we waited for him in the outlet store also serving as the ticket booth.
Mom asked me if I wanted to by anti- seasickness pills. I told her that I didn't need one, and that she knew I never got seasick.
Dad came in with the great duffel bag, and set it down as he went to get the tickets. Mom and Rebecca went to the restroom. I was the only one.
Dad came with the tickets and he got to the exit door. We waited for the restroomers (Mom and Rebecca).
When they came, we got out of that building and went to the right of it, and then we stood in a line (going to the ship). The place was right on the water.
The line moved up a little, and then a little more. We were going downhill, and by and by a man with a thick NJ accent started telling everybody that a person would take our picture, and then we would have to show your ID and give the man your tickets.
A lady with strawberry blond hair had a camera and with taking pictures after the number 3, she repeated," 1. 2. 3. NEXT!" 123 NEXT! 123 NEXT!" and so on and so on. When she said "NEXT" another couple, group, or even a single person came in.
Our turn for the picture was coming. When the people in front of us were gone, we got in there just as she said 2. It didn't make for a good picture. We then stood in a line, and Mom and Dad showed their ID. Then they showed the tickets, and we went through a space, where on either side were a boat. We boarded the one on the right, the Alanticat.
The ship had three floors, one restaurant, an indoor cabin, and many, many seats.
We got to the top of the boat, and got a part in the back of the ship on the starboard side. It was by a staircase, which was by a restroom. We were in an open ,cool area.
Little did I know how many cool sites that that seat would offer.
While waiting for the ship to go off, Rebecca and I met a nice 12 year old named Lauren, who was from Texas. Her dad and brother were a few rows in front of Lauren and her Mom. Later in the boat ride, her brother would get sea sick and her mom and brother would go down stairs to recover.
Anyway, we also met people who were also sitting behind us, and their names were Jenna and ?. Jenna was ?'s daughter. ? was a dentist, and Jenna is in dental school to someday follow in his footsteps. She had just finished college and was going to go to school for 5 more years for dental school. They were both from North Carolina, and both were very nice.
A man talked over a large speaker, telling us it would go fast when out in the water, and that we should put on jackets. Although the temperature was sunny and in the 70's, the temperature would soon get down to the 40's on the water clicking along at 30 miles per hour. He reminded us of safety and all that other unimportant stuff (just kidding, safety is important). He also told us the location of many things, and the crew introduced themselves over the microphone. The man also said that we were part of research, and that even though that the trip was commercial, there were researchers from Allied Whale (an oceanography organization) taking pictures and trying to find new whales. It was cool to think that we were part of research.
He alerted us a horn was about to blow to warn ships and boats that we were supposed to pull out, and when blown I noticed it wasn't that bad. After that, we pulled away and sped towards the ocean.
I got up and started video taping while my hand was on the rail. We saw dolphins, and porpoises while this happened. For quite a few minutes, we were seeing buoy kind of things close to the boat. Then the mountains, boats, and anything close to civilization ceased. Everything circling us was blue, except for etches of white made out to be seagulls. The wind picked up, and mildly cold Maine turned into ferociously windy foreground. It started to get really cold, really fast.
All of this time, Jenna, Lauren, Rebecca, and I talked and talked and talked, and now I forget what we talked about because we talked about so much. I do remember that we talked about the ocean, the cold, and the seaweed among other things.
Jenna was nice and she was cool. She wasn't like all grown- uppy, yet wasn't inmate. It wasn't something about her that made her interesting. I can't put my tongue on what it is. Oh well.
The boat came to a stop, and by this time I was already wearing a coat and gloves. The others were too. The man on the speaker started speaking. "On my right, if you can see in the horizon, is a rare Gemini whale. Everyone who was on the right side said things like,"Ooh", and "Ahh".
Everyone on our side complained that we weren't seeing anything. Rebecca said, "This is STUPID!"
After a while we picked up speed again. This time when we stopped, I saw it. I black whale... I'm sorry... Two black whales, lying on their white bellies. They were lifting their great dorsal fins up, waving them around, and dropping them back down. It almost looked as if they were waving. I got it all on my video camera.
Later, we saw a whale jump straight out of the water, and then come back down, his tale flopping down last, and making a splash and great sound. When I saw that remarkable site, I blinked and rubbed my eyes.
I was flabergasted. Had I just seen a whale? Three whales? Dang! I JUST SAW THREE WHALES! I thought.
On the hour we were out there, I counted 11 or more whales. It was a breathtaking experience.
We headed back to the harbor, and while Rebecca went to get a hotdog Lauren and I talked. We talked about our schools, what we wanted to do when we grew up, and many other things. Lauren wanted to be a catering chef.
She was very nice, not to mention smart. I liked her very much (as a person and friend though).
We talked, and by and by Rebecca came back. She and I got Lauren's and Jenna's phone number(s).
The ship docked, and we dispersed. I said goodbye to Lauren, Jenna, and ?. They were very fun people.
That night, I had lobster for the first time at a nice restaurant. I pulled off the claws, broke it in half, pushed the meat through, and broke the meat of the claws. It was so juicy and fresh and good. The man even helped me crack it and pull on it without getting too messy! So nice!
I tried sucking on the legs, but it wasn't much good. I did have blueberry pie as dessert. That was good.
Then we played put put at a pirate themed putt putt golf course. That was a lot of fun. I played pretty well, but Dad pulled through in the end. It was still fun though.
I am Maine Boy! Fighter of all bad sea food and seagulls that poop on people! (I actually did this, using my lobster bib as a cape and wearing a blue shirt as in the color of blueberries. [Maine's fruit])
Andrew.
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