Blye,

I guess it's hard to tell how the close contact of petting the whale might effect it at some future time. But I can say that it's FAR less detrimental than a harpoon.

I can also say that since we had had the experience we have sought out info on plans to hunt/take whales and did what we could to try to stop it in our small way. We have written letters against the taking of whales, even by natives in Alaska just because there ancestors did it! Makes as much since as allowing American Indians taking scalps because there ancestors did!!!!

We signed documents trying to stop Japan from donating $$ to poor countries in exchange for allowing them to take whales in there waters. Did you know that was taking place?

Knowledge is a very powerful thing and we gained a lot of it on that trip.

Greg