Orcas on the Horizon

The season certainly is picking up now! I took out six day trips in a row, all with great people and awesome sightings. The first few days were quite blustery and we encountered some rolling waves that sent the bows of our kayaks up at angles uncomfortable for some but thrilling for others. Nothing is too terribly scary in our extremely stable sea kayaks though- they are able to withstand 12 foot seas. So when the big waves come, I say, “Bring it on!” While we cannot always provide easy paddling conditions, we will, however, always provide competent guides who can navigate troublesome waters. On all of the trips that went out we were treated to soaring bald eagles, lounging harbor seals, and diving cormorants. One of my favorite moments over the past few days was watching a parent Peregrine Falcon bring food to her nesting chicks, tucked into a little cliffside outcropping. One chick became so excited that it spit up over the side of the rock, right in our direction. Nature can be a little slimy sometimes. 

Juvenile Bald Eagle (not my photo)

We also saw a Bald Eagle bring food to its young, which looks like it is about to fledge! The juvenile Bald Eagles are mottled brown and white and will not get the handsome white plumage on their head until they are four years old. From what I’ve seen over the past couple days in a nest just north of Bellevue Point, I think the flying lessons will begin soon; little Junior looks ready! There are an estimated 150 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in the islands, with approximately 1 nest for every mile of coast line so the chances of seeing one are more than good!

The Harbor Seals have also begun to have their pups! We did spot a newborn hauled out around Lime Kiln State Park and sadly encountered another deceased pup, floating belly-up in the water. Sometimes Harbor Seals have pups before they are ready, and the one we saw looked like a case of a stillborn. The birth of new Harbor Seals usually means that we can expect to see more action from the Bigg’s or Transient Killer Whales, though! The Bigg’s Orcas are our mammal-eating orcas and will feed on the vulnerable seal pups, as per the great Circle of Life.

Harbor Seal Pup
(not my photo)

While we love to encourage our guests to take each trip for what it is and enjoy the great beauty of the archipelago, orcas or not, it is a treat when we do get to see the grand black-and white spirits of the sea. I had a great group of young friends (they let me have it when I accidentally asked if they were old friends), who met at a YMCA camp 37 years ago and have been travelling the world together ever since. They were great people, full of life and ridiculous jokes that rolled an eye or two. As we paddled south towards the Lime Kiln Lighthouse, that ever-so-sweet sound of a blow rose behind us. The killer whales were cruising right behind us, filing past the shore like a parade. They rose in and out of the water gracefully, letting out air and creating a mist above their heads. The dorsal fin of the males towered 6 feet above the surface of the water like the sail of a small sailboat. We saw a few tail slaps and breaches in the distance, and the closest whales came within about 150 yards of our humble little selves. One of the littlest calves popped his head up next to his mom’s side to see what all the hubbub was about at Lime Kiln State Park, where onlookers were shouting with glee. 

After seeing the whales a few times now, what I notice the most is how at ease they are in the water. It seems as though they are just enjoying a cruise for the day and their understanding of their rank as top predator allows them to relax and let their hydrodynamic bodies slice through the water and enter literal and figurative depths we could never imagine. If they want to jump out of the water, they do. If they want to roll belly up and feel the sun’s rays rake across their white underside, they do. I get the feeling that they are some of nature’s biggest hippies and like to just chill out and feel the natural world around them as much as I do.  They are so in tune with what is happening in their surroundings and they understand their part in it all. I think this is something that we as humans can learn from. I’m a nature-girl through and through but sometimes I need to remind myself that I’m not just in the middle of nature, observing it like a bystander. I am just as much a part of this earth as the ferns and the worms. I trod on this earth the same way a deer does. And for that reason, it is just as important for me to participate in the food web in a responsible way as it is for the animals. To not take more than I need. To be aware of how I fit into it all. The orcas are literally nearing extinction due to a lack of salmon. But we still eat salmon. For every salmon that we humans eat, that is one less that is being fed to the dear newborn orca calves. Orca whales need to eat about 20-30 salmon per day. A few weeks ago a count was conducted on the Fraser River where our Chinook salmon go to spawn. They counted 14 go by. We have 81 orcas that need to eat at least 20 salmon a day. The salmon just are not available like they used to be. It is incredibly sad to consider the falling numbers of many of our precious endangered species, but it seems as though nothing is changing. It is a conscience decision to be made: would we rather eat salmon tonight for dinner or would we rather be able to enjoy the presence of the great orca whales for the rest of our lives? I know which one I would choose.

Looking south towards the Olympic Mountains,
orca whales in the distance

After a long week of kayak trips, I enjoyed a day off on the farm and weeded in the organic garden for a few hours before taking a break to paint with the girls. We sprawled out on the grass next to the pond, mixing paints and depicting images of volcanoes, whales, trees, or some formless image yet to be understood. I startled a Barred Owl in the cherry tree who flew away silently as I picked the golden-red jewels and nibbled their sweet flesh. I know it may surprise you, but being a kayak guide actually has some pretty stressful moments as we try to manage boats that cost more than my car and we constantly worry about having peoples’ lives in our hands. But we require moments of peace and calm to make it all okay. At the end of a long day, I smile and know that no matter how stressful, I am a part of this earth and am happy to witness its small miracles every day.

A friend that hopped past my outhouse in the meadow