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Conundrum of an Inquiry: Do Whales Actually Exist?

updated on 2 Comments on Conundrum of an Inquiry: Do Whales Actually Exist?

Answering the Question

Do whales actually exist? This question was posed by my seven-year-old daughter after a boat ride in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine. We went on a three-hour whale watching cruise, launching from Boothbay Harbor. The best time to see whales near the harbor are between the months of May thru October. We were visiting near the tail end of the season, but we were hopeful we would find a whale. It was a foggy, cloudy day and visibility wasn’t great, but we were undeterred. We saw seals, dolphins, even a small shark! A whale, however, eluded us.

After our misadventure to see a whale up-close, this is when my daughter, Lylah, asked, “Do whales even actually exist? Because I didn’t see one.” To her, whales are now in the same cryptozoological category as Bigfoot and the Lochness Monster. Fortunately, if you’re not lucky enough to see a whale on your boat tour, they offer standby tickets that are valid through the next season. Since we were in the area for a while, we took them up on that offer.

Round Two

A tropical storm rolled through the area the following week so we had to wait a little while before we could prove to Lylah that whales do actually exist. This time around, the weather was more conducive to whale watching. The sun was out, it was warmer, and we knew what to expect. We were ready to see some whales! There are three species of whales known to frequent the area, the minke whale, pilot whale, and the humpback whale. And we didn’t see a single one! This time around, there were no seals, no dolphins, nothing. Just this stowaway bird…

The Consensus

Do whales exist? According to my daughter, the answer is no. I have heard whale watching described as an activity similar to fishing. There is a lot of waiting and never a guarantee. We didn’t see what we were looking for, but we still had fun on a couple of boat rides off the coast of Maine. According to Harbor Breeze Cruises, only 1% of the human population has seen a whale in the wild, close up. After two attempts, we are still a part of the 99%, but maybe someday, we will be lucky enough to be in the 1% population.

Have you ever seen a whale? Let us know in the comments!

About Author

Hello, my name is Kayla, and I'm a registered nurse from the Midwest. My husband and I have celebrated 20 years of marriage and are parents to two children. Our eldest, who has special needs, faced challenges in a traditional school environment. After exhausting all our options to support him, we chose to take a year-long break from society. We sold our house and most belongings, purchased an RV, and set off on an adventure across the United States. This year of travel allowed us to grow both individually and as a family.

My son and I both grapple with ADHD. I was unaware of my condition until it was pointed out by my son's psychiatrist during our first meeting. The most significant challenge I face with ADHD is communication. In one-on-one interactions, I manage fairly well, but when I'm nervous, upset, or deeply engaged with the subject, my thoughts become muddled, and my speech turns into a jumbled mess. Adding to the complexity, I have an INFP personality type according to the Myers-Briggs chart, which means I often find myself nervous, upset, or deeply passionate. To deal with these communication hurdles, I tend to fall back on silence, keeping my thoughts to myself.

Blogging has reignited my passion for storytelling, with travel as my muse, and helped me find my voice. Despite the irony of being a storyteller who struggles with verbal communication, I've found my voice through travel blogging and newsletters. This has allowed me to express my true, authentic self—a goal that has long been elusive. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all my readers for giving me a platform to be unapologetically me.

I would love to have you follow along in our journey as we navigate RV life, homeschooling and discover amazing places across the country!

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