Wonder Whales of the Ohio

The Discovery

While still in elementary we took a short field trip to Markland Dam. I think that trip was wasted on us. All I understood at the time was it lets boats through but holds back water. Then there was the bit that stuck out in my head, it was built by the Army Corps of Engineers. Now why did this stand out so much? All I could envision were a bunch of green and grey giant plastic army men standing around with rifles slung over their shoulders and shovels in hand. I don't want to forget the one who looked like he was forever frozen yelling into his radio. He was the only different plastic soldier so he must have been important in my youth mind. 

They marched us up in this tower so we could watch a barge pass through. it allowed us to see how the water raised and lowered to match the height of the river on either side. It was a very long process and something you can't exactly keep elementary kids focused on. Then we actually went out on the back side of the damn to see how the gates opened but we were all too short to get a good view. That was a bit of a wasted point on tiny kids. So far the best point was the bus ride there blaring out the Beach Boys. Every time we went on field trips we had the same exact driver who loved to blast Beach Boys over the radio. Even though everyone called me a dork I loved it, and sang along to every song. They just make you feel good inside. 

For lunch we went across the dam into Indiana. How exciting for a kid a whole state away, even though looking across the river you see the hometown. While everyone was either playing or eating, I grabbed my sack lunch and snuck down the stairs we weren't supposed to go down to the down river side of the dam. I thought it was so cool. After you walked away from the dam a bit it was like its own little private beach. I found a cozy corner where the rocks turned into sand and sat to eat my lunch while staring at the water. 

I opened the paper bag inside was a sandwich, ham and cheese loaf. There was a plastic bag with apple slices, and no pickle. There was always a dill spear in these things. Instead was another baggie filled with moochers. Someone out there really loved me. Ham and cheese loaf and moochers. I was a kid in heaven sitting next to the river.  

I began to chow down on my sandwich, hording my moochers till the end. As I sat I seen a few schools of minnows darting back and forth near the waters edge. I suddenly remembered the blue gills in my pond. They went crazy over chunks of ham and cheese loaf. Maybe I could see that creature again if I tossed some in the river. I tore off a few pieces and threw them in the water. The minnows went crazy. A few bigger fish came closer to the edge. Not what I was wanting. 

I stared at me bag of moochers. Maybe they were like me and loved these little green balls. I hesitated, did I really want to toss my moochers in the river? I stared at the bag. Maybe three or four. Sure I could part with three or four just to see if I could see them again. I took a few and tossed them in the water. The minnows gathered around but darted away when they got close to the balls. Nothing, I sat and waited.

The sandwich was gone, I ate all the apple slices. I sat and slowly ate the moochers one by one, thinking I wasted four in the river I couldn't get back. A ripple in the water down stream caught my eye. It didn't seem in place from the water coming from the dam. I stood up and walked downstream a bit to try and get a closer look. Nothing more came of it. I better get back before the teachers realize I'm gone I thought. 

As I was walking back to the stairs I noticed something in the water. Those big eyes and shovel shaped snout not far off the edge of the river. There were two of them. I looked in my sack I didn't have many left. I took four more and tossed them gently at the two animals. They barely hit the bottom before they were snatched up. They were close enough I could see they didn't eat the little red pieces. Apparently they didn't like them. 

If it was a little warmer I could have wadded out and touched them. As I stared in awe and wonder I realized they were way to big to come through the dam. The first I seen was on the other side. That's when I realized they must come through the lock with the boats. These things were smart. I needed to learn more about them. My teacher, oh I was going to be in big trouble I'd been gone too long. I tossed them the rest of my moochers and ran for the stairs waving goodbye to my aquatic friends. 

I tried to shuffle back in with the rest of the kids, but I was busted. I was in big trouble. They told my grandmother I ran off during field trip and she blistered my backside something fierce. I started watching every episode of Wild America and every education show I could. I wanted to see someone else talk about these things. Nowhere I looked could I find any information. I started going to the library frequently. That was how they realized I didn't really have a learning problem with reading and finally took me out of the slow readers class. 

I spent my whole life and travels trying to find something about my aquatic friends. No matter where I looked I found nothing at all. A few things popped up that I thought were promising but when I looked further it just wasn't them. I did however get an extensive self taught education about animals and nature for my troubles.