But first -- whales! A biggish pod of them, at least four or five, swimming so close to shore -- see the baby? -- that even with the little point-and-shoot, with its time lag for focus and its time lag for the shutter click, I was able to get a shot.

And now, before the rain:

During:

And right after.

If only there were a way to share with you the heady aroma of wet dog.