Writing with the Whales
A brief history of human contact with whales
Greetings Good Human,
Did you know on the day the Environmental Protection Act was passed in 1973, a grey whale reached out to Francisco "Pachico" Mayoral, in Bahia Laguna?
"Pachico" was fishing in San Ignacio Lagoon, in Baja, Mexico, when a gray whale approached his boat.
Pachico said he was terrified, as gray whales had a reputation for being aggressive due to their history with whalers. However, this whale was curious and gentle. He reached out to touch the whale, and she gently surfaced near the boat, nudged it slightly, and introduced her her calf.
That singular act changed the relationship to the ocean.
Before that day Pedro's source of income came from fishing.
But as this grey whale repeatedly reached out of her world and into his, he started bringing friends out to visit the whales.
And the sharing of this relationship began to be a business that led to a now thriving eco-tourism industry.
I love this story. It's weird and wonderful and hard to believe— and changed how we relate to the oceans.
Beings in the ocean
became worth more alive then dead.
When I was 22 I met a grey whale. I visited San Ignacio Lagoon, and was in a small boat like the one above, when a whale came close. The captains of the boats surrounded her, each one wanting to get the people in their boat close to touch her.
We all got overcome by excitement, and all leaned in to touch the whale.
There was a man standing in the pontoon on the other side of the whale. He was holding a 2 year old girl. All of a sudden a baby whale flew straight up out of the water, it’s fully body coming out of the water as it came eye to eye with the other child. Needless to say the baby screamed. We all screamed. And I was changed for ever. I could never unsee what had happened.
That whale, who lived in another world, was consciousness and curious about what lived in my world.
Once you have gotten to see a whale, it’s hard to imagine how we allowed whaling to go on for as long as it did. Head across the ocean, and The North Pacific humpback population includes those that migrate to Maui and other Hawaiian islands, the numbers dropped to fewer than 1,500 individuals in the mid-20th century.
Thanks to the international whaling moratorium established by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986, humpback whale populations have made a significant recovery. Today, the North Pacific population is estimated to have rebounded to more than 21,000 individuals, now there are between 12,000, to 15,000 Humbpack whales that visit Maui every year.
Those whales, are the grandchildren of a generation that was murdered during whaling. They are still actively threatened by things humans do to their world, such as fishing lines, climate change, and boat strikes.
So when they reach out to be with humans, it feels like kind of a big deal. And for the record, they are reaching out a lot. Last year, while out in my kayak, I witnessed one whale travel from boat to boat, visiting at least four in the time I was there, saying hello, flapping it's pectoral fin.
I have been visiting Maui every February for the last decade for an annual reunion with the humpback whales. Being in the presence of these beings, in the resonance of some of the largest hearts on Earth, is hands down one of the most ecstatic experiences I have ever had in my life.
It really is an amazing thing to be alive on the planet with these beings, who choose to come spend time around us. The stories of whales spending time with humans in Mexico, Maui, French Polynesia, are all amazing stories of resilience, healing, and repair between 2 species.
Our EPA is about to go under a great transformation: with the proposed budget cuts, staffing reductions, and structural changes under the incoming administration could substantially diminish its capacity to carry out its environmental protection mandate.
While far from perfect, the EPA plays a role in protecting oceans and marine life, including whales, through its regulatory and programmatic efforts. While the EPA does not directly manage whale populations (this is primarily the responsibility of agencies like NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), it does contribute to their protection by addressing threats to their habitats and ecosystems.
I am very curious about how we will proceed to protect all life? If the government determines it is no longer their responsibility: will it become each of our responsibility to protect the land we live with?
I don't know about you, but I'm inspired more than ever to get out there-- and spend as much time in wild untamed nature as possible.
This year, I'll be co-hosting a Story Catching Creative Nature Retreats in Maui in February 2025. (You can sign up for a group information session happening tomorrow at 10am PST)
These retreats will provide immersive, slow, experiences in the wild nature of Maui, plenty of time on the water in small boats and kayaks, and will provide time for deep listening, story catching (because as Shawn Kane says, Myths are Earth speaking our loud), and restoration. It is time to catch the myths that are birthing into our times. And time to slow down to listen to the planet.
I'll be hosting an information session about the retreat tomorrow, Saturday at 10PST.
Paul Watson says, once a whale has looks you in the eye, you stop working for yourself and you start working for them. We have so much to be grateful to Paul for— his unwavering commitment to defending marine life and commitment to make sure that we know what is happening in the oceans. He also needs out help.
As Jaques Cousteau says, We protect what we love.
The more you know, there more real your love.
May you be with the ones you love,
and if that is the whales,
I look forward to sharing time with you.
With a wet tail slap,
Leah
Leah, thank you for your post and effort on Whales. I am a lover and advocate of whales in my life; supporting the release of whales in captivity. Everything you have shared is beautiful and true and based on love for all beings who we are part of.