Seeing porpoises, orcas, seals, otters, and humpback whales was the highlight of our trip to BC’s Sunshine Coast. We saw humpbacks on three different occasions, but the most spectacular was on the boat ride back from Desolation Sound (see previous weeks’ Sunday Editions!) when our guide gave us the scenic tour and we came upon a small pod of porpoises (which weren’t very photogenic) and then several humpbacks. We watched them blow, hump, and dive several times over the course of about half an hour.
Ah. Maze. Ing.
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Humpback Whale, Salish Sea, BC
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Jackie Castle mused on changing seasons and big life events.
On Tuesday, Alexa Verde asked what’s in the box?… and #giveaway.
On Wednesday, Staci Stallings presented first impressions: And The Greatest of These is Love.
On Thursday, Melanie D Snitker announced “I Still Do” with cover share… and #giveaway.
On Friday, Marion Ueckermann asked, to hear or not to hear, that is the question.
On Saturday, Heather Gray asked what are you reading?
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Liwen Y Ho (My One Year Anniversary with InspyRomance + #Giveaway)
Tuesday: Cecelia Dowdy
Wednesday: Ginger Solomon (The Heart of Christmas)
Thursday: Krista Phillips
Friday: Kimberly Rose Johnson (Who is in your Driver’s Seat?)
Saturday: Julie Arduini (The Story Behind the Story: Harvest of Blessings)
Humpback Whale, Salish Sea, BC
New Releases
October 2018
• A Christmas to Remember by Kimberly Rose Johnson, Valerie Comer, Elizabeth Maddrey, Ginger Solomon, Lindi Peterson, Julie Arduini, Deb Kastner, and Janet W. Ferguson
• Her Undercover Prince (Crowns & Courtships 5) by Carol Moncado
• Somewhere Beyond the Blue by Marion Ueckermann, Cecelia Dowdy, and 3 others
• A Time to Push Daisies (Under the Sun ~ Seasons of Change 3) (paperback) by Marion Ueckermann
• The Cowboy’s Christmas Reunion (Montana Ranches Christian Romance 1) (paperback) by Valerie Comer
• In Love By Christmas (Seasons boxed set) by Alexa Verde
• Together for Christmas (box set) by Autumn Macarthur
November 2018
• A Christmas Baby for the Cowboy (Cowboy Country 9) by Deb Kastner
• The Cowboy’s Mixed-Up Matchmaker (Montana Ranches Christian Romance 2) by Valerie Comer
• The Twins’ Family Christmas (Redemption Ranch) by Lee Tobin McClain
• Pathway to Peace (Grant Us Grace 5) by Elizabeth Maddrey
• I Still Do (Second Chance With You 6) by Melanie D. Snitker
• Recovering Hope (The Potters House Books 14) by Marion Ueckermann
Humpback Whales, Salish Sea, BC
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Valerie Comer is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner who writes where food meets faith and fiction. She injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Her life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Hi Valerie, what majestic creatures, and to see them so close is pretty special. I remember as a young teenager going whale watching out on the reef during late winter/early spring, but I do not recall getting such great views.
We have just returned home from a reunion over the weekend. It was a really special time, celebrating how God has led in the lives of those we caught up with. The long drive north (and then all the way home!!) was worth the renewing of friendships.
Blessings:)
Hi Valerie! Thanks for sharing your vacation and the wonderful pictures. Definitely magnificent creatures. Best wishes and enjoy your Sunday.
Thank you for sharing your photos. Whale watching is one thing I would love to do.
Living in the midwest and unable to fly, I probably won’t get a chance so I enjoy photos and videos.
Have a blessed week!
What an amazing time you had! I am so grateful you have shared these photos and memories with all of us!
Thank you!!
Reunions are so special, aren’t they! Especially with believers.
Doing whale tours is always a highlight, and there’s no guarantee you’ll see something, especially not up close. We’ve had it different ways, where we didn’t see anything but a few seals or sea lions, where the whales were present but fleeting/distant (and we NEEDED the binoculars!), and days like this one, where we saw them up close and personal for a considerable time! So much majesty.
I’m glad to share the views! Have a great Sunday yourself. Here it is rainy this morning with snowfall warnings on the mountain passes. I guess our gorgeous weather and fall colors are over!
Definitely worth it if you ever get the chance! Happy Sunday :)
So happy to share! We saw a pod of dolphins feeding close to shore when we visited Sanibel Island a couple of years ago. Do you often get to see marine creatures in your part of FL? I would so love to live near the ocean! (Except I love it here, too… conundrum!)
Ha! Sadly, book, the sand does not agree with my psoriasis, and I don’t go on boats….so even though the ocean is just 10 miles from my home…… I don’t go there ?
How awesome to see the whales out in the wild like that. When I see pictures like yours it always seems almost surreal to me, having grown up and still living in the midwest. I think that it would be amazing to take a whale watching trip sometime, although I don’t know how the boat ride would agree with me.
I loved your post, especially the photos. My bucket list includes going to the West Coast and going whale watching. Having lived in Homestead, FL I was able to see dolphins, porpoise, sea turtles and most of the other sea creatures but never whales in their natural habitat. Only at Sea World in Miami. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds like this was an amazing trip. We try to take a trip to Hilton Head Island every few years and love taking the dolphin/nature cruise!
That is tragic. I need you to be my emissary to the ocean!
Hi Jessica! I grew up on the Canadian prairies and only saw the ocean a couple of times before 2014. I’ll forever be grateful for my son and his wife choosing to go to university on Vancouver Island, since it got us traveling to the ocean 1-2x a year. We’ve kept it up, though they live next door now!
I was worried about the boat the first few times, too. This was the sixth (I think) whale watching tour we’ve done, and I’m thankful the waves have never bothered me.
That’s a part of the coastline I’ve never been to! How did it fare in the hurricane? I’m glad to hear someone else who loves the ocean tours!
I wondered what (if any) whales frequented the Florida coast. Now I know! Definitely come west :D
I know, right?!? And I LOVE winter so much! I miss the snow!!!?
Well, I can send you snow pix anytime you want! I have some classics from years gone by! Although a lot of Western Canada got hit with heavy snow earlier in October (which is super early for us), we avoided it right here. WHEW. Not quite ready.
Have a blessed Sunday Valerie!
Thank you! Just got home from church, so blessed indeed! Hope you are blessed as well.
Thanks as always for incredible pictures. We’ve never been whale watching. We did get to see dolphins on the east coast of Florida in early October when we visited.
Glad you enjoyed the photos! We visited Sanibel Island in June 2016 and saw dolphins right close to the beach. Crazy!
I love hearing about all your travels and seeing all the pics, Valerie.
Happy to hear of your enjoyment :)