Look with in - Messages for the Humpback Whale
Living in Niue for almost 3 months was an experience I will never forget. The emotional highs and lows taught me many insights about life and the way I process my feelings.
I decided to live in Niue for a couple of reasons. First, to swim with the humpback whales, and second, it is winter in New Zealand and I did not want to feel cold for 3-4 months.
Niue is a tropical island, 3.5 hours north east of New Zealand by air, and one of three places in the world that I am aware of, that you can swim with humpback whales.
I was able to find long term accommodations south of Alofi in a small village named Avatele.
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Look within to seek the love. |
Arriving early June 2007, I new it would be three to four weeks before I would see the first sightings of humpback whales. This gave me the opportunity to settle in and connect with the land and the local people.
Island life on Niue is laid back. Locals taking life as it comes. The lush virgin forests and coral reefs jetting out from the shoreline were eye catchers, and the crystal clear water was a delight to swim in. The air temperature ranged from low 70’s to high 80’s.
We had some unusual weather patterns for Niue. Winter is usually the dry, calm season. Unfortunately we had numerous unpredictable thunder storms, producing rough seas and electrical black-outs. My landline phone was zapped during one of the storms, destroying it. After that storm, we didn’t have phone service for weeks, which also affected the internet lines reducing the speed even slower.
Often, it would take several minutes to connect to the internet. At times I would be in the middle of writing an email, and then all of a sudden the connection would be interrupted lasting forever, well not forever. These were very frustrating moments for me!
There were a variety of situations causing me great frustration. Once I realized I needed to slow down, ground myself, get focused, and be a little more patient, the frustration lightened. I needed to remind myself on numerous occasions that I wasn’t on a time schedule and to just breathe! I was quite surprised as to how conditioned I had become wanting immediate gratification.
A few days after arriving on the island of Niue, I took a walk down by the boat ramp at Avatele Beach. The beach was next door to the house I was staying at temporarily until the house across the street was ready for me to move into.
In the middle of the boat ramp parking lot, I noticed a beautiful multi colored kitten, sitting. She immediately got up and started walking towards me. At that moment, I was wondering where her mother was. She was nowhere to be seen. After giving her a hug, I started walking back to the house. To my surprise, when I turned around, there she was!
This new found friend looked hungry. Since I didn’t have cat food, I gave her some brown rice, and beans. Surprisingly she ate it.
Now the question was what shall I call this mysterious new friend? Every time I looked at her, I would smile. After thinking of a bunch of names, Sunshine seemed the most fitting.
The next day, Saturday, I got on the bike that the property manager of the house let me borrow, and rode into town approx 10 km to buy some cat food. The bike ride was exhausting, for 2 reasons. For one, the bike was old; the gears were rusty, and didn’t work very well. Second, I was a little out of shape!
To my great disappointment and frustration, the grocery store was closed. There was one small road side stand open which didn’t have cat food but did have can tuna. I new Sunshine would gobble that right up, and that she did.
Four days later, the other house was ready to move into. The new house was only across the village green, but didn’t have the beautiful views of the ocean. Since I was staying for three months, they needed the other house for short term rentals.
When it was time for Sunshine to come along, I new I was going to have some difficulty. She didn’t like being picked up, and to have her just follow me, was not happening. This was home and she didn’t want to leave; I didn’t blame her. Numerous times I attempted to pick her up, but she fought, scratching my arms.
Not knowing what to do, I just let her be, seeing that she was quite shaken from the experience.
A few hours later, I went back to the other house and decided to persuader Sunshine with food. Little by little with a lot of patience, she followed me across the village green to our new home. I was quite relieved when we arrived and that ordeal was over. I learned that I can’t force anyone to do something they don’t want to do. All I can do is give encouragement.
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Sunshine the cat |
Look at the heart in the upper left side of this Humpback. Photo taken in Tonga. |
A couple of weeks after arriving, I was outside on the hammock reading when I noticed the neighbor’s cat checking out Sunshine. The next moment the cat ran over to Sunshine, humped her, and a month later noticed that Sunshine was pregnant. I was quite upset about that since she was still a very young, innocent kitten. It brought up some old issues for me that I needed to work through.
Everyday I would walk to the coral beach; gaze out toward the open sea, looking for the humpback whales. Since swimming with them in Tonga, I had a heart felt desire and need to reconnect with these magnificent beings of the sea.
In the first couple of weeks of July, there were only a few sightings of whales off shore. At that point, I was becoming increasingly disappointed and again the frustration started to build. I kept on saying to myself, I came all this way to connect with the humpbacks and there were none to be found. I had to constantly remind myself to be patient and trust that they would appear.
I was in daily contact with the Niue Dive Shop owners getting updates.
Toward the end of July, my friend Steve came to visit. Weeks before, I asked the universe to please, may we have some amazing encounters with the whales when Steve comes. He is spending a lot of money to come and swim with the humpback whales.
I booked to have the dive shop take Steve and I out on the boat on 4 different days, starting Sat. after his arrival.
I picked Steve up at the airport at 3am on Friday. After sleeping and catching up on what has been happening in each other’s lives, we walked to the beach.
Initially we were going to take out the kayak to see if we could see and connect with the humpbacks. While dragging the kayak toward the beach, I just happened to look out towards the ocean. Wow, there they blow!!
We literally dropped the kayak and jumped into the water. The kayak was just too heavy and big.
Steve and I swam out past the channel to the open sea. I took along the boogie board I brought from New Zealand just in case we got too tired to swim back to shore.
Singing, laughing and just having fun for about an hour did not at first attract the humpbacks.
Then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, two huge humpbacks breached out of the water right next to us. What a WOW! They swam around us for a minute or two and off they went.
Steve and I looked at each other in utter amazement. What a greeting. We just new we were going to have a fantastic week, which we did.
Each day when were out on the boat, the whales welcomed us. They shared there love and peace.
On one of the days, two female humpbacks swam next to us for at least 45 minutes. One of them looked at me, in my eye, in my soul, for at least 20 or more seconds.
It is very difficult to describe how I felt while swimming with these magnificent beings of the sea, but if I were to describe the experience, the word bliss comes to mind.
The week flew by. Steve and I had an incredible time together. I was truly grateful that my prayers were answered.
After Steve left, the humpbacks only appeared off shore occasionally for the remainder of my stay.
At first, I yearned for their love. Looking for them daily, asking myself; where are you? Where have you gone? I miss you so!
Weeks later while meditating, I realized what the whales were trying to teach me. “Seek the love you are looking for within. Looking for love outside yourself is just temporary”. I didn’t necessarily want to hear that, but I new it was true.
Two days before leaving the island, I was talking to one of the boat owners at their shop when all of a sudden two humpbacks swam close to shore and gave us an amazing acrobatic display.
I believe it was their way of saying goodbye to me. I in return sent them my heart felt love and wished them a safe journey back to Antarctica.
The day I left, Aug 24th 2007, Sunshine had not given birth yet even though she looked huge.
It was very difficult leaving Sunshine after spending months together. Sunshine would sit on my lap on the hammock each morning while meditating and sometimes at night when I was connecting with the beings of light and taking photos.
Joanna my neighbor, promised me she and her family would take good care of Sunshine.
Learning to let go of attachments of people, places and things we love is not easy!!
A couple of weeks later, I received an e-mail from a friend who also stayed in the same house as I did in Niue. She told me that Sunshine had delivered several kittens the day after I left.
Blessings,