Friday, September 4, 2015

The Whales of San Simeon Cove


This haiku is dedicated to the large marine mammals gracing us with their presence at San Simeon Cove.
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Humpback whales swimming
Over bones of ancestors
And long lost cousins

The healing began
With delight in the finding
Of forgotten bones

Dead call the living… 
This little bay is safe now
The way is made clear

Healing continues
With delight to the viewers
Of big living bones

Humpback whales swimming
Over bones of ancestors
Long lost love returned

... J*

Dec. 2013 - The first huge whale bone, what I correctly guessed to be a skull, in the process of revealing itself.

Here's the backstory on this haiku. 2013 I call "the year of the whalebones" due to the abundance of whalebones that revealed themselves on the beach at San Simeon Cove, beginning with smaller bones in March and larger skulls, rib bones, etc., by the end of the year. Many locals (myself included) and visitors to the beach were delighted with the variety of bones and skulls. 

Discovering that the bones were actually from the "graveyard" of slaughtered whales during the shore whaling time of the mid to late 1800's made me feel a little sad, yet I also felt that the joy the old bones were giving visitors was somehow bringing healing energy to that devastating time for whales. 

Dec. 2013 - Two whale skulls in the surf.
Dec. 2013 - A huge whale skull excavated fully from the surf by beach goers.
Jan. 2014 - Several smaller whale bones in a sea cave.
Jan. 2014 - Huge whale jaw bone being "ridden" by a child.

Then, in 2014 the humpbacks returned to the Cove in large numbers, coming close in to shore, literally swimming over the bones of their ancestors. And now in 2015, the humpbacks have returned in force, this time staying for an extended time, bringing joy of a different type to visitors to the Cove.

Sep. 2015 - Humpback in the Cove.
Sep. 2015 - Humpback swimming near the kelp beds at the Cove.
Sep. 2015 - Humpback feeding, scooping up fish with its mouth.
Sep. 2015 - Humpback near the shore in the Cove.

Magic and miracles abound!

Jennifer Star
September 2015