The other migration; Humpbacks of Watamu.

by EUNICE MURATHE (Kenya)

I didn't expect to find Kenya

When growing up, my mother always warned me, “Remember Jonah who was swallowed by a whale for defying God? Naughty children are eaten alive by whales.” The folklore became so much a part of me that when I grew up and became an environment journalist, there was still a great deal of wonder, fear and mystery wrapped up with whales. Last year, I received a news tip, I could not ignore. A small resort village in Kenya, Africa had become a popular destination for whale watchers as the gigantic mammals and their calves swim close to the shore and can even be seen from land. Tourists were flocking Watamu Marine Park to catch a glimpse of humpback whales breaching, rolling, and expelling water through the blowhole. I was to go there on camouflage and hang around for about two days to report extensively on the new attraction. Every year, humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to warmer climates, congregating in Kenyan waters between July and August to calve and mate. After spending two months breeding and nursing their calves the whales then make the journey back to Antarctica around September. In East Africa, the whales travel up to 4000 km to reach their chosen area to take care of their newborns, whether it be Mozambique, Tanzania or Kenya. One whale was recorded traveling as far north as Somalia. I went on the whale watching cruise and can only describe it as exhilarating and refreshing to the soul. From the mainland, we headed out into the rough July seas in a private boat that cost Sh 25,000 per person. It is advisable to cruise as a group to make it more affordable and exciting. I stared vigilantly at the sea and horizon eager to watch a whale breach. Then we saw the blow ahead. And there were six whales together with a young calf who came up and breathed every six minutes. We kept a safe distance and followed as the whales plunged and flowed so effortlessly through the waves. Dolphins were playing in their wake and turtles swimming by. Shoals of fish were breaking the surface of the sea in a spectacular dance of life under the huge open Blue Watamu skies and lofty white cumulus clouds. Seeing them was magnificent and awe-inspiring. It reconnected me to the majesty and wholeness of nature. It also reinforced their magnificence and the wonder of Kenya. Whales connected me to the depth and wholeness of the sea as the compassionate social creatures, sing different songs to each other each year and communicate through their voices over hundreds of miles. They are among the most acrobatic of whales and spend time leaping or ‘breaching’ to communicate, play, or give themselves a mini spa to remove unwanted skin parasites. I was moved by the tales of their leading lost seamen out of the fog and more. These amazing creatures are just offshore between July and October and most Kenyans are yet to know. Visitors mostly watch the whales from a covered sports fishing vessels accommodating up to 8 people for a 4-hour trip costing between $50 to $100 per person depending on the operator. It is advisable to use a deep water boat with a skilled professional skipper who is coordinating with the fishermen as to where the whales are and can accurately judge the weather, tides and what is possible that day. Accept it may take time to find them and it is by pure chance if and when you see them. That way any sighting is a gift and exhilarating. During the peak month of August, whales can even be seen from the bars at the Hemingways Watamu and Ocean Sports Resort while sipping on a morning coffee or a sun downer. Tsavo National Park is just a few hours away and Maasai Mara where the annual wildebeest migration takes place is a few kilometers drive.