No Grumps

Old Sow

We had heard a rumour that if you go to the Old Sow Whirlpool (the largest tidal whirlpool in North America) at this time of year there is a chance to see whales. The season is right, and the whirlpool is full of food for the whales to eat, and fun stuff for the whales to do. Based on this account we called up the campground and booked in for a night.

The campground is on very pretty surroundings, but is a little sketchy itself. It is probably not the campground’s fault, but maybe the people who seem to be running it. Nothing but kids! I guess they were teenagers, but the cigarettes hanging from their lips definitely did not look legal. It worked out alright though, as we were able to get them to clean up the site we wanted, and then we were able to set up our tent and build a fire.

It turns out that the gill we bought for the fire pit is actually perfect for cooking hamburgers and the like. They only take a few minutes over the fire and they turn out very well. It also turns out that a good cooking fire breaks down to a good s’more fire in time which results in an entree and a dessert.

We went for a short walk and for the first time ever I was able to take some half-decent night photos. Don’t ask me how, I am not sure I could repeat the performance, but, I have photos to prove that at least this once I proved myself to be somewhat nightphotocapable.

Across the Bay

The Sinking Moon

It was a relatively quiet night with only one frantic trip outside to cover the firewood for fear of rain... and it was a good thing we did!

The relatively quiet night was followed by a relatively soggy morning with bacon and eggs over the fire. That grill really was a good buy. It certainly makes cooking... more easier...

We packed up the camp and headed to the shore. There we went for a walk to see the sights...

The sights:

The Current of the Edge of the World

The End of the World

A Quiet Spot on the Edge of the World

And then we settled in to watch for Grumps. We did not get a good look at the whirlpool last time we were there, but this time we could see through the fog a great deal of activity. There were birds everywhere, and as the tide rose the fish got trapped in the current and were easy pickings for the foul.The birds were not the only things taking advantage of Mother Nature’s buffet, as there were also a number of seals enjoying the trapped fishes.

In the Maelstrom

We sat a good while, watching the fog lift and the animals gorge themselves. We saw two sets of divers go down, one set in wet suits, and one in dry. We saw one set of divers return, bringing up treasures for their children to see: Sea Cucumber, a Brittle Star, a Sun Star... Treasures!

The whirlpool was at its best/worst coming up to high tide, but as high tide struck the water came to a still. The feeding frenzy ceased, though the birds and seals waited patiently in the icy water.

Treasures

We had heard that Grumps could appear, but not that Grumps would appear. Remaining elusive we packed up our chairs and headed home...

Romance