憧れていた大自然を目の前にした時、人間は我を忘れるものらしい。
BBCの野生動物番組「Big Blue Live」の司会者スティーブ・ブラックシャル氏にそれが起こった時、彼はカリフォルニア州モスランディングでクジラ専門家ドリス・ウェルチ氏にインタビューしていた。
途中で上空のヘリコプターにいる撮影班から、シロナガスクジラがいるというニュースを受けたブラックシャル氏は一気にボルテージが上がった。生放送中にも関わらず、思わずインタビュー相手のウェルチ氏をさえぎって興奮した口調で話し始めた。
「ちょちょちょ、ちょっとすみません、信じられないことがおきました…。シロナガスクジラがいます！ヘリコプターから連絡を受けました…。シロナガスクジラです！」
その後彼は、ウェルチ氏にインタビューすることも忘れて目の前を泳ぐシロナガスクジラについて、興奮した口調で話し続けた。ウェルチ氏もブラックシャル氏を見守るしかなかったようだ（2分32秒ほどに彼女の苦笑が聞こえる）。
自然とは人を無条件で幸せしてくれる、本当にいいものだ。
この記事はハフポストUS版に掲載されたものを翻訳しました。
クジラのジャンプ！
(01 of18)
A Humpback whale jumps in the surface of the Pacific Ocean at the Uramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia, on July 16, 2013. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually from the Antarctic Peninsula to peek into the Colombian Pacific Ocean coast, with an approximate distance of 8,500 km, to give birth and nurse their young. Humpback whales have a life cycle of 50 years or so and is about 18 meters. AFP PHOTO/Luis ROBAYO (credit:Getty Images)
(02 of18)
A Humpback whale jumps in the surface of the Pacific Ocean at the Uramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia, on July 16, 2013. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually from the Antarctic Peninsula to peek into the Colombian Pacific Ocean coast, with an approximate distance of 8,500 km, to give birth and nurse their young. Humpback whales have a life cycle of 50 years or so and is about 18 meters. AFP PHOTO/Luis ROBAYO (credit:Getty Images)
(03 of18)
A Humpback whale jumps in the surface of the Pacific Ocean at the Uramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia, on July 16, 2013. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually from the Antarctic Peninsula to peek into the Colombian Pacific Ocean coast, with an approximate distance of 8,500 km, to give birth and nurse their young. Humpback whales have a life cycle of 50 years or so and are about 18 meters long. AFP PHOTO/Luis ROBAYO (credit:Getty Images)
(04 of18)
A Humpback whale jumps in the surface of the Pacific Ocean at the Uramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia, on July 16, 2013. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually from the Antarctic Peninsula to peek into the Colombian Pacific Ocean coast, with an approximate distance of 8,500 km, to give birth and nurse their young. Humpback whales have a life cycle of 50 years or so and are about 18 meters long. AFP PHOTO/Luis ROBAYO (credit:Getty Images)
(05 of18)
NUUK, GREENLAND - JULY 27: Boats follow a whale as it swims in the water on July 27, 2013 in Nuuk, Greenland. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(06 of18)
A whale jumps to the surface off the coast of Libreville in Gabon on August 19, 2013. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE BERRY (credit:Getty Images)
(07 of18)
A Southern Right Whale breaches on September 5, 2013 in Hermanus, which has become known as a mecca for whale watching. During the southern hemisphere winter months (June - October) the Southern Right Whales migrate to the coastal waters of South Africa, with in excess of 100 whales known to be in the Hermanus area. Whilst in the area, the whales can be seen with their young as they come to Walker Bay to calve and mate. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE (credit:Getty Images)
(08 of18)
A Southern Right Whale breaches on September 5, 2013 in Hermanus, which has become known as a mecca for whale watching. During the southern hemisphere winter months (June - October) the Southern Right Whales migrate to the coastal waters of South Africa, with in excess of 100 whales known to be in the Hermanus area. Whilst in the area, the whales can be seen with their young as they come to Walker Bay to calve and mate. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE (credit:Getty Images)
(09 of18)
A humpback whale tail breaches off Sydney Heads at the beginning of whale watching season during a Manly Whale Watching tour on June 23, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(10 of18)
A humpback whale emerges from the surface of the Pacific Ocean at the Uramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia, on July 22, 2011. (LUIS ROBAYO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(11 of18)
A humpback whale is seen breaching outside of Sydney Heads at the beginning of whale watching season during a Manly Whale Watching tour on June 23, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (credit:Getty)
(12 of18)
In this photo taken July 21, 2011, a baby gray whale is seen with its mother in the Klamath River in Klamath, Calif. (credit:AP)
(13 of18)
An 8.5 metre-long juvenile humpback whale remains stranded on Anaconda beach in La Paloma, department of Rocha, in southeastern Uruguay, on January 27, 2011. AFP (credit:CHANGO FIGUEREDO/AFP/Getty)
(14 of18)
A humpback whale is seen breaching outside of Sydney Heads at the beginning of whale watching season during a Manly Whale Watching tour on June 23, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(15 of18)
The tail of a humpback whale emerges from the surface of the Pacific Ocean at the Uramba Bahia Malaga natural park in Colombia, on July 22, 2011. (LUIS ROBAYO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
(16 of18)
A franco-austral whale surfaces off the coast of Antoniopolis, in the Uruguayan department of Rocha, 220 km east of Montevideo, on September 22, 2012 during the migration to the south. AFP PHOTO/Pablo PORCIUNCULA (credit:Getty Images)
(17 of18)
A franco-austral whale surfaces off the coast of Antoniopolis, in the Uruguayan department of Rocha, 220 km east of Montevideo, on September 22, 2012 during the migration to the south. AFP PHOTO/Pablo PORCIUNCULA (credit:Getty Images)
(18 of18)
A Franco-austral whale surfaces off the coast of Arachania, Rocha, 225 km east of Montevideo, Uruguay, on September 21, 2012 during the migration to the south. AFP PHOTO/Pablo PORCIUNCULA (credit:Getty Images)
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