AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We do where the open ocean hits. This coastline is basically a submerged mountain range.”
“That’s why there are so many islands,” she realized. “I’m used to thinking of islands being built by volcanoes, like Hawaii. But what are those boulders that disappear?” Her hands were in the sink so she used her chin to indicate the weird dark gray shapes that rose briefly and sank again.
“Youarenew here, aren’t you?” Johnny said with a chuckle before he called up the stairs. “You see those humpbacks off the starboard, Skip?”
“I do now,” Trystan called down.
As the yacht changed course, Johnny gathered the passengers to watch the noses of the whales come up to the surface then sink back down.
Cloe hurried to take the baked pastry bites out of the oven and turned it off, not wanting to miss a thing. A moment later, Trystan cut the engine.
“We can’t get too close,” Johnny said as he handed out binoculars. “But you can see there’s at least three of them. They like to feed in groups by diving deep then coming up in a spiral.” He drew a coil in the air. “They release bubbles to push all the herring together, like a net. Then they open their mouths and take a big gulp.” His fingers closed against his thumb like a sock puppet. “They strain the water through those grooves in their throat, called baleen.”
“Is that a family? Or how do they organize?” Elodie asked.
“Could be,” Johnny answered. “Orcas are more likely to stay in pods of matriarchs and daughters for most of their lives. Humpbacks develop social relationships by choice.”
“Are they endangered?” Annette asked.
“They’re slowly coming back. Growing up, I hardly ever saw them, but it’s better now.”
Gulls circled over the patch of water while two distinct breaths puffed into the air. The long, sharp ridge of one whale’s back broke the surface in a long slither before disappearing with a lift of its tail, like a friendly wave good-bye.
“We’ll probably see more,” Johnny reassured everyone. “They feed up and down the coast all summer then migrate south, to California and Mexico, or over to Japan for winter. Good spotting, Cloe.”
“Clear?” Trystan asked from the open window where he was hanging his elbow.
Johnny did a quick check that the whales hadn’t come toward them and called out, “Clear.”
Trystan started the engine and they motored toward the mouth of an inlet.
“That was exciting,” Cloe said to Trystan when she took him the last of the pastries and a fresh cup of coffee. “They’re bigger than I expected.”
“Fin whales are bigger, but I’ve only seen one once, on a trip north to Kitimat. Thanks for this.” He saluted her with the covered mug. “You didn’t need to.”
“I was coming up anyway. I was starting a list of the wildlife I’ve seen since I’ve been here. It made me realize that bingo cards might be fun for the guests. At least, the kids might like it. I could make them myself.”
He lowered his mug, taking his eyes off the water and leaving his free hand resting loosely on the wheel. “You should have told me you were one of those, Cloe. I feel betrayed.”
Her stomach dipped. “One of what?”
“A keener. Someone who makes lists. And plays games. I bet you wanted to origami the washcloths into animal shapes and leave them on the pillows, didn’t you?”
“I only know how to make bunnies and you need an elastic band,” she mumbled, looking out the far window.
“You can’t set a precedent like playing games. Next thing I know, I’ll have an orange under my neck and I’m hugging a stranger.”
“We only have grapefruits. I’ll be your partner,” she promised.
His mouth twitched and his gaze flickered from her face, lower, then out to the water, leaving her chest warm and tingling.
“Sure. Go ahead if you want to. What kind of prize were you thinking if they win?”
“A ball cap?”
“A ball cap for a line, a T-shirt for a full card.”
“Cool.” She slipped back downstairs, then enlisted the boys since they were habitually checking their devices only to realize they still didn’t have service.
