Whales have been objects of fascination for humans ever since we first encountered them. The sudden appearance of dead or stranded whales on the beaches centuries ago provoked expressions of awe and amazement from the onlookers who gathered to stare at the enormous beasts. Long after scientists had discovered that whales were mammals just like us, many people still thought that whales were gigantic fish or sea monsters. Legends and fables about whales which devoured shipwrecked sailors at sea were very popular. In a well-known biblical tale, Jonah was swallowed by a whale and survived inside for several days before the whale spat him ashore. Centuries later, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, an 1892 story about the battle between a New England whaler and a monstrous Sperm Whale, became a bestseller.
Although we know so much more about whales today, they are still objects of fascination for those who are lucky enough to get a chance to see them. Whale-watching is a popular vacation hobby on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America. If you want to go on a whale-watching trip, you should go with a trained expert who knows where whales are found, and who is careful not to disturb the whales or their natural habitat. You should always be sure to have waterproof clothing, a life jacket, a hat, sunblock lotion, seasickness pills, binoculars and a good pair of sunglasses with you on the trip. And take a still camera or a video camera -- you’ll want to record those moments when the whales make an appearance.
