A tough job, but somebody has to do it

As we chugged across the Gulf of Mexico, day 2 of a 3 day trip, I did what I do most days when I'm on a tug. I grabbed my camera and headed outside hoping to catch a glimpse of some sort of sea creature activity.

While scanning the endless blanket of blue all around us, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, the tell tale sign of one of mother natures coolest of all sea creatures.

Focusing my camera on the general area, I waited.  Oh yeah baby, this was going to be a good day.

 I felt a connection to the sailors of those whaling ships of long ago. The only difference is I didn't grab a harpoon, chase it,  kill it, drag it on board and butcher it. Instead I went to the galley, got a coffee and a cinnamon bun.
Ok, I guess there isn't a connection between me and the whale hunters, but that's ok.
Seeing a whale in this environment, meaning anything other than Sea World, well, it just makes my day.

 I only took about 150 frames of this beautiful beast, but it was more of the same. I was praying she would perform a breach, but she did not.

A few hours later it looked like this out here in the Gulf.

Two days ago, we were about 60 miles or so from the nearest hunk of dry land, so I was quite shocked to see, off in the distance a bird heading our way. Of course I had my camera, what do you think, I'm an amateur?

I aimed and opened fired.

For some strange reason this beautiful little bird, left the rich fertile marsh of the Gulf Coast to fly 60 miles out to our rusty old tug. She perched herself on the stern for quite a long time. I was waiting for her to fly off so I could get an action shot, but after about 15 minutes, she refused to leave, so I went back inside to get some work done. It was like a staring contest...and I blinked.

About 2 hours later I thought I'd go back outside and see if my friend was still there.
She was.

What's even stranger, she invited her friends!

I enjoyed watching them for a while and then really pressed my luck to see if I could get closer, to get an even better photo. I scared them and they took off.

I just can't figure out why they would fly all this way to land on a tug boat. Just when you think you know an egret, they go and pull a stunt like this.