Orcas x2

Seeing Orcas in the wild was surreal.  I had dreamed about it since we found out it might be possible when exploring this area during our trip planning. But still… really?  I guess the thought of actually being close enough to one that I could see it… live…. was a little mind-blowing to me.  Growing up near the Gulf coast and now closer to the Atlantic, I've seen a few dolphins, but whales?  And not only whales, but Orcas?  But yesterday my mind was blown – twice – in the same day. 

We scheduled a half-day kayak tour after our kayak trip in the Channel Islands back in April.  The perspective of being down on the water, gliding through the kelp forests, as you come around a rocky outcropping to see a harbor seal hauled out or sea stars clinging to the rocks is thrilling.  But when we found out that you might be able to see Orcas from the water, we signed right up!  With eager anticipation, we met up with our tour guide and one other couple (on their honeymoon).  We piled in the van and headed out to San Juan County Park on the west side of the island.

Before we could even get to our put-in point, we pulled into an overlook after our guide spotted a few whales out in the water.  “Would you guys like to get out and take a closer look?” she asked.  Uh… yeah…  I still didn’t believe she had seen anything – or that you could see Orcas in the wild.  But as I heard my first whale blow and saw it come arching out of the water, it took my breath away.  There it was!  As we stood there watching the few whales dancing through the water below us, we got a quick overview on the J, K, and L pods that are the resident Southern Orcas from this area – endangered because unlike most Orcas, they eat only fish – mostly chinook salmon – rather than other marine mammals.  We learned to identify larger-sized males with their tall, straight dorsal fin and the smaller females with a slightly more curved fin.  I could have stayed there all morning watching from the shore, but we still had a kayak tour ahead of us, so back in the van we went.

Suited up with all of the necessary garb, including spray skirts, we loaded into our tandem kayaks and sealed ourselves in – our first experience with anything but a sit-on-top kayak that we were used to – these had a pedal-operating rudder you could use to steer… that took a little adjusting.  We settled into the rhythm of the water quickly and easily – paddling out and around our first point.  Bingo!  Harbor seal, dead ahead.  As we paddled through the giant bull kelp forests, we spotted a bald eagle and saw its nest, learned about the Lime Kiln once used in this area, and saw the lighthouse.  But we never saw any more Orcas while we were on the water.  Nevertheless, it was a trip highlight for me – and an experience none of us will soon forget.

After a late lunch in town and getting cleaned up, we headed back out to explore the island.  As the sky drizzled, we enjoyed checking out the Pelindaba Lavender Farms.  Not quite in full bloom yet, it was still amazing to see the rows upon rows of lavender plants growing in the open field and smell the fragrance filling the damp air.  Abby kept giggling at me while I tried to capture the bees moving from bloom to bloom with my camera – each not quite open, so they never rested for more than a split second… it was fun to try though.

We decided to wander back by the west side of the island to see if we might be lucky enough to see the Orcas again.  Almost beyond belief, we spotted them again!  This time there was a small boat very near the group that seemed to push closer to them each time they surfaced.  What….are people thinking????  Federal regulations state that you must stay at least 200 yards from the Orcas at all times – and never, never approach them as the boat’s noises may interfere with their ability to talk to each other.  The Junior Ranger spirit in me wanted to make an immediate arrest!  This is their home – and we are their uninvited guests.  We must respect them…

On the way back the camper, we made a quick stop in Roche Harbor to check out the log rolling contest and other July 4^th festivities.  Maybe it was the crowds of people, or maybe it was the cold, damp air… or maybe it was that seeing Orcas twice in one day was enough excitement for one day – but we decided to skip the fireworks display for a quiet evening in the camper, reminiscing about our experiences of the day.  It was quite a cause for celebration in my book!