Denise and the Humpback Whale

While I was recently in Carmel, CA, the local newspaper reported a humpack whale carcass was going to be left to rot where it washed ashore to allow scientists to study the process. I immediately wanted to go photograph it, but didn't get around to it until after Denise joined me in California, several days later. It wasn't high on Denise's agenda of what to do while on the West Coast. After the experience, she was glad she had witnessed something few people on earth ever get to see in a lifetime. The beach was at Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur, CA. From the parking lot near Highway 1, it was about a three kilometer walk through a couple of beautiful meadows and the riverbed of the Big Sur River to the whale. Thankfully, the wind was howling on the beach, and the stench of rotting flesh wasn't that bad and was only discernible if standing down wind. Here is a shot of Denise with the whale. I'll post others later.

Andrew Molera SP - Big Sur, CA - 01 July 2006