Fast Fiction

In case you forgot, I’ve been taking a class on Tuesday nights at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium down in San Pedro since October. It’s a class to be certified as a docent and be an on-board naturalist for whale watching tours.

Well, the test was last week and they have rather high standards. You can’t just pass the test, you have to get an A (95 right out of 105). Well, I did just fine, as I found out on Tuesday at the last meeting of the year. YaY for me!

I will say that even though I went in knowing a lot about the basics of whales and other marine mammals, I did learn quite a bit. And some of it was stupid stuff that you’d think I’d have known. I thought all whales used echolocation - but it turns out it’s only the toothed whales, not the baleen whales. So those blue whales, those largest animals ever on earth - they’ve just got their eyes to depend on down there in the depths. Kind of humbling.

Starting in the new year, I’ll be going out on weekends on whale watching tours. I’m a little nervous about getting the info right. After all, it’s one thing to learn all this stuff in a classroom, but another entirely to apply it out in the field.

What’s great about it, for you gentle readers, is that I’ll have lots to post about and maybe, just maybe, a few cool photos.

If I don’t get to post again soon, please have a safe holiday and keep those you love warm and close.