1. God

2. The sea and its mystery, surrounded on all 360 degrees

3. Whale watch with Cassie and our children

4. Hannah’s delight at spotting a whale

5. David hanging in there and being pleasant even if the trip was long for him

6. Knowledgeable guides

7. A sturdy boat

8. International law protecting the humpbacks even as they are still subject to risks from boat traffic and pollution

9. Cassie “adopting” a whale for Hannah, a generous thing to do

10. Abundance of sunlight

11. The grandeur of God in the whales, more than just fun facts, how much they must eat and how much air they must expel and how much force required for them to move, more than just fun facts, an infathomable reality, not something I would see every day