Orcas and the meaning of life

We didn't get this close, of course. Still, it was pretty wonderful watching the Orcas from the sailboat. When I told Rifaat about the Orcas, He remembered  a close up and personal experience with an Orca named Haida.

Seems Rifaat would go up to Canada about 2-3 times a year. While there, he would visit Haida at Stanley Park. There was a place were instead of double paned glass between the whales and the people, there was only a single pane. Rifaat would press his forehead against the glass and make a deep humming sound. Haida would answer instantly, and come nose to nose with Rifaat.

The two would walk together, the whale on one side of the glass, the man on the other. They would walk in one direction as far as they could go, then turn and walk in the other direction as far as they could go. If Rifaat sprinted, Haida would keep pace--still slow for him. Rifaat is convinced Haida was a whale ambassador.

The last time Rifaat went to visit Haida, the old gentleman whale had died of pnuemonia.