Meanwhile, above the waves, the crew, with reinforcements from the coastguard, prepared crates of fish, tossing shimmering bait across the water to lure the whales nearer. Gulls descended in chaos. The sea writhed with silver flashes. But the whales remained focused, circling in measured arcs, their intent entirely divorced from the humans’ frantic improvisations.
The coastguard debated risky measures: nets, sonar pulses, even attempts at corralling the whales toward shallow water. Each option felt like gambling against giants. One mistake could drown Nathaniel, topple the vessel, or scatter the pod entirely. Every plan carried equal weight in hope and potential catastrophe.