I looked into the eyes of a whale, a special experience. I was with 15 people in a boat just outside of the coast of Puerto Lopez, Ecuador. We watched the spectacular macho whale flips at an appropriate distance. Suddenly there were two huge bodies very close to our boat. The biggest of them very curious peeked her head out of the water. She glanced at that silly little boat with strange creatures in it, probably to see if she and her offspring were safe enough. Then she dove back in the...
more »I looked into the eyes of a whale, a special experience. I was with 15 people in a boat just outside of the coast of Puerto Lopez, Ecuador. We watched the spectacular macho whale flips at an appropriate distance. Suddenly there were two huge bodies very close to our boat. The biggest of them very curious peeked her head out of the water. She glanced at that silly little boat with strange creatures in it, probably to see if she and her offspring were safe enough. Then she dove back in the water and continued her journey with her baby, while producing a sonorous sound (a sort of cry). It was very special having this brief contact with such a wonderful big marine animal.
This morning I was slightly dazed walking around the fish market of Puerto Lopez. Everywhere there were large quantities of fish. Little trucks came from the sea full of small fish. With a rake or a shovel the fish ended up in crates. Some fish landed beside the crates in the sand. There were so many so they were left for the vultures, which will clean the beach after the market. But apart from the thousands of small fish, there were also huge quantities of large fish. I saw hammerheads, other sharks and giant rays, all covered with blood. I suddenly realized that this drama in this tiny fishing village takes place every day. And these are fishermen who fish in a traditional way.
I walked around and took pictures, while thinking "this can not go on.... it should not go on". These quantities in all the small fishing villages at this coast will mean that soon no more fish will be out there in the sea. It can't be otherwise. It is impossible to reproduce these quantities in the same time as they are picked.
I recalled my encounter with the whale. Perhaps the brief meeting with her was no coincidence. Did she want to convince me with her look and cry of distress to take action. I've heard the whale and seen our greed. How long does it take until the sea is empty and the whale will die of starvation?
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