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| Jena Ball |
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The day I tumbled off a sailboat into the turquoise waters of Hawaii and a 40-foot whale cruised up to take a look, was the day my life took a decidedly different turn. Though I’d always been a nature lover - what my staunchly conservative relatives call a tree hugger - having a creature the size of a bus look me in the eye radically adjusted my perspective.
The whale, a juvenile Humpback male, was clearly curious, undeniably intelligent, and wickedly mischievous. He circled me several times, getting closer with every pass, until his 14-foot, barnacle-studded flipper lightly touched my chest. By the time he grew tired of the game and meandered off, cetaceans had gone from being the subject of intellectual curiosity to personal acquaintances.
My date with the whale was remarkable in one other respect. It marked the start of a series of ongoing encounters with wildlife that continues to this day. The stories of these encounters – where they began, how they unfolded, and what can be learned from them – are chronicled in my 600-word column, Whales in My Backyard.
If you'd like to carry Whales in My Backyard in your paper, please e-mail or give me a call (626-445-4566) to discuss a price based on your distribution. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Jena Ball
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