Sharing waves peacefully

The above is an interesting AP picture of peaceful coexistence between a surfer and a killer whale sharing the nice waves in New Zealand's North Island as published in the U.K. MailOnline today:

As he enjoyed catching a few waves, experienced surfer Craig Hunter had no fear of becoming the hunted as he shared the waters with a killer whale.

Rather than turning back to shore after paddling out past the breakers to be confronted by a giant dorsal fin, he decided the surf was just far too good too miss.

For the next 45 minutes he bravely shared the waves with the giant Orca and, without realising it, two young calves.

The Orca, a regular visitors to the Taranaki coast in New Zealand, paid little attention to the surfers at Stent Rd surf break near Cape Egmont on Saturday.

Hunter, who has been surfing off New Zealand's North Island for almost 50 years, said: 'There was no way I was not going in because the waves were too good.'

'It's pretty awesome. It's a pretty special sort of feeling.

'I was out there on my own for quite a while and the big fella was just cruising. It was really neat.'

Hunter, known to his surfing friends as Billy, said it was not the first time he had surfed with an Orca and added that he was too old to be bothered by the possibility of being attacked.

'My outlook is they are big enough and quick enough. If they thought I was a seal, I'd be long gone.'

I am of the opinion that Mr. Hunter was never in danger. I have seen the 1966 movie "Namu: My Best Friend." I think it may be misleading by calling them the "killer" whale. The killer part only activates when they are being provoked. Everyone entitles to self-defense, of course. If you don't, well, what do you expect? This Fox News story yesterday reminds us what had happened on October 12, 2000 when the terrorists attacked USS Cole off the coast of Yeman killing 17 U.S. sailors. According to the former U.S. Navy Commander Kirk Lippold of USS Cole, that was really the beginning of War on Terror. Namu would certainly fight back at any rate. But sadly the U.S. President and his government at the time chose to do absolutely nothing, emboldened the terrorist, then led to the 9/11 a year later that lost nearly 3000 Americans and friends. History can not be spinned or ignored. Can't we ever even learn something from Namu, the killer whale?