If I could post pictures I have a really good one on the distance thing for whales. 10 years or so ago my brother wanted to fish out of Port Renfrew BC and we had stoped out in front of the straits to regroup for the day and out of nowhere we had several whales around us and I have a picture of Tim looking over the motor at the back half of a whale meanwhile in the bow I am staring down at the front of it as it swam right under the boat. My laundry was looking bad for a minute or so but I still don't know how a whale just under the surface did not hit the boat. I get the distance on whale watching but sometimes the whales do not seem to know the rules!