Stand up Paddle Boarding

In the five months since we have been here we had not yet tried to stand up paddle board.  Essentially, you just stand up on a surfboard with a paddle and motor right along.  Lately the whales have been very active so we thought we would try and get as close as we could on the paddle boards.  I (Kurt) was trailing a group of three whales from a couple dozen yards behind them.  At that distance they are completely spectacular. Words cannot describe the immensity of these animals.  As we were going along, and I was getting a bit more confident, one of the whales broke off and turned 180 degrees back towards me.  I froze.  Just then he took out his right fin and his tail fin and slapped the water as if to say "back off!"  When he got close enough to slap him on the nose I realized how terrified I was and started to paddle away from him frantically (as if I could've outrun him).  Just then he went under and went the other direction.  It was easily the most spectacular and terrifying experience of my life.  I'll never forget it.