Kayaking: A connection with Nature and Self

B.C. WILD KILLER WHALE ADOPTION PROGRAM

2008-03-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Adopt a wild killer whale on behalf of a friend or family member!

By becoming a member of the B.C. Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program you will be directly supporting research on wild killer whales. Continuing research will lead to a better understanding of the whales, their place in the ocean ecosystem, and the conservation measures necessary to protect them.

B.C. WILD KILLER WHALE ADOPTION PROGRAM
Join the Killer Whale Conservation Team!
Adopt a wild killer whale today!

Killer whales, or orcas, are found in all the world's oceans, but nowhere are they more accessible for viewing and studying than in Canada's west coast waters.

Learning everything we can about killer whales
is the best way to protect them.

How do new pods form?
Where do resident killer whales go in the winter months?
Why do 50 per cent of newborns die in their first year?
How do killer whale dialects develop over time?
Are killer whales particularly susceptible to environmental toxins?
Is increased boat traffic affecting killer whale behaviour?

Researchers in Canada and the U.S. have been investigating groups of killer whales that frequent the area annually for more than 25 years and are trying to answer these questions and others. Once widely feared, killer whales are now understood far better than they were only three decades ago.

Some of the projects funded by the program include:

Population genetics: Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre has been using DNA analysis to answer questions like how do resident killer whales avoid inbreeding and how do female killer whales know how to choose a mate.

Acoustics: Killer whales rely on sound to communicate and to navigate through the water. Researchers are studying the sounds killer whales make to learn more about their social structure and monitor their movements along the B.C. coast.

Photo-identification: Photo-identification is one of the most useful tools of whale biologists. It is an invaluable method of monitoring the health of British Columbia's killer whale populations.

Adopt a wild killer whale for yourself or someone else. A gift membership in the B.C. Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program is a unique and thoughtful gift for people of all ages.

The B.C. Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program is hosted by the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, a non-profit organization. All contributions go directly to research and conservation of killer whales in the wild. Contributions are tax-deductible both in Canada and the USA to the extent of the law.

How Do I Adopt a Whale?

To symbolically adopt a whale and support our field research program, you simply choose the type of adoption package that suits you best, and select the whale or whales you would like from a list of transient and resident killer whales living off the coast of British Columbia. Choosing your whale is the hardest part. Some people select a whale born in the same year that they were or the year their child or grandchild was born. Others select whales because they like the sound of their name. Still others choose their whale because its picture appeals to them. To get started on adopting your whale, click here.

What Do I Get with My Adoption?

We have a variety of adoption packages, but they all have something in common. With all packages you will receive a photograph and biography of the whale you've chosen, an adoption certificate, and the most recent issue of our annual journal, the Blackfish Sounder. For more details, click here.

Contact us:
B.C. Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
P.O. Box 3232
Vancouver, BC, Canada
V6B 3X8

PHONE: (604) 659-3430
E-MAIL:adoption@vanaqua.org

White Killer Whale Spotted Off Alaska

2008-03-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

March 7, 2008 -- The white killer whale spotted in Alaska's Aleutian Islands sent researchers and the ship's crew scrambling for their cameras.

The whale was spotted last month while scientists aboard the Oscar Dyson, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research ship, were conducting an acoustic survey of pollock near sea lion haulout sites.

It had been spotted once in the Aleutians years ago but had eluded researchers since, even though they had seen many of the more classic black and white whales over the years.
Further observation showed that while the whale's saddle area was white, other parts of its body had a subtle yellowish or brownish color.

It likely is not a true albino given the coloration, said John Durban, a research biologist at NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. Durban said white killer whales have been spotted elsewhere in the area twice before: in 1993 in the northern Bering Sea around St. Lawrence Island and in 2001 near Adak in the central Aleutians. There have also been sightings along the Russian coast.

The scientists observed several pods over a two-week period. The white whale was in a family group of 12 on a day when the seas were fairly rough. The ship stayed with the whale for about 30 minutes.

The whale appeared to be a healthy, adult male about 25 to 30 feet long and weighing upward of 10,000 pounds.

Mary Pemberton, Associated Press

Pink or Blue - Only Mom Knows!

2007-11-11T13:58:00.000-08:00

The Orca Network announced the sighting of a new baby orca off Whidbey Island in Washington State. The baby orca is a member of "J" pod, often seen in Johnstone Strait in the summer.

The baby has been named "J43". For those of you who feel that the name leaves something to the imagination, rest assured it is temporary. Baby orcas are not assigned a name until they survive their first year of life. I'm thinking it should be named "Webster".

It will be exciting to be on the lookout for this new arrival in 2008 when kayaking in Johnstone Strait .

Anyone planning a baby shower - mother orca requests, in lieu of money or flowers, that salmon would be an appropriate gift.

kayak trips -- what did that whale say?

2007-05-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

On one of our kayak trips in Johnstone Strait, you'll see orcas swimming together in pods. Just like the photo above. They're always talking, being very social creatures. Which means, of course, that our adopted whale is also very social.

We know this thanks to the research done by scientists, including those at killerwhale.org.
Whales talk to each other using their own form of words, which are whistles, squeaks and whines. And in each pod, they have their own "dialect". There are groups of pods with similar dialects, and these groups are called clans.

Our own adopted whale is part of the D1 pod, and the D1 pod belongs to the A-clan. The A-clan is made up of 10 pods with related dialects.

If only we knew whale talk, we'd be off to talk to our adopted whale pretty darn quick. Unfortunately, we need the scientists as interpretors.

kayaking trip -- and visit the Titanic exhibit too

2007-04-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Kayaking with Orcas has an added advantage this year -- the Titanic exhibit is at Victoria's Royal BC Museum.

We travel to Vancouver Island on our kayaking trip, so it's easy to make your way over to that end of the Island.

I visited the exhibit this past weekend, and was handed the pass as I entered. On the reverse was info on an actual passenger who boarded the ill-fated vessel. It wasn't until the end of the exhibit that I found out whether I survived or not. Given I was a third class passenger, I didn't have a lot of hope.

Great display. Starts off with artifacts and information on the building of the Titanic and how passengers of all classes traveled.

Things turned sinister as I walked further along. But we expect that, right?

I won't list any spoiling details, but sure seems fated to have happened given all the circumstances that came together.

And the best news of all was that even though I was in third class, I survived!

kayaking trip bc -- Mom's the word

2007-04-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

OK, back to our adopted whale from www.killerwhale.org. Remember, before the big reveal of who exactly our adoptee is, we're going to be giving a few clues.

When you go on one of our kayak trips in Johnstone Strait and encounter the beautiful orcas, you'll have to think of Mom. Because resident killer whale pods are family groups structured around mothers. Yup, mom's are household leaders in the orca world. Sons, daughters (and her daughters' kids) stay with mom throughout their lives. No moving out and making it on your own in this tough underwater world.

Our own adoptee is the first calf of... Cascade. Our adoptee also has 3 aunts and a couple of female cousins.

Guiding a Kayaking Trip in BC – what exactly is involved?

2007-04-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

I have always been struck with the use of the word “guide” to describe what we do. It’s limiting, in the sense that it leaves the perception that our role is getting from point A to point B.

The word “facilitator” seems more appropriate. Although not as adventurous, it more accurately defines the spectrum of knowledge and duties that our leaders must possess.

Not only are we focused on skills such as technique, safety, knowledge of weather, currents, tides, navigation, route finding but must be aware of group dynamics, individual goals, be empathetic, patient. Couple all this with being a good chef, offering a natural, cultural, historical database and you get an idea of the complexity of our role.

And why do we accept this demanding role? That’s the topic of our next posting. (And no, we haven't forgotten about our adopted whale. We'll soon get back to that important topic.)

If you were an orca, where would you go for winter?

2007-04-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

Our adopted killer whale -- name yet to be revealed! -- hangs out in the waters off northern Vancouver Island, plus the mainland coast as far north as southeast Alaska. You may well spot our adoptee on one of our kayak trips to Johnstone Strait, where the pod (family of orcas) hangs out.

But noone knows where they go in the winter.

Well, of course the orcas know. But they're not telling...

Like any proud parent, we need to show a photo

2007-04-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

So here you see a photo of our adopted whale. A beauty, no? And this photo is just the beginning... we're ready to s-l-o-w-l-y reveal facts until, voila, you'll then learn our new member's name.

As we announced yesterday, we've adopted a wild orca thanks to www.killerwhale.org. By adopting, we're helping fund research into these wonderful animals. Once you've seen these orcas frolicking in the ocean -- possible on a kayak trip in Johnstone Strait -- you'll want to do everything you can to ensure they don't ever go away.

kayak trips -- with our very own orca adoptee!

2007-04-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

OK, we admit it's hard for us humans to tell one whale from another. But our adopted orca is out there for sure -- we know because the experts from Wild Killer Whale Adaption Program tell us.

You too can adopt a killer whale and support research. Just go to www.killerwhale.org for info.

We'll be posting info on our adoption, being proud parents and all, so stay tuned...

BC kayaking trips & our kayaks

2007-04-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

See that photo? Besides wondering what our kayaking guide Georgia is looking at, you'll notice the kayaks nicely lined up. These are the kayaks we use on our BC sea kayaking trips .

We do have single kayaks for the experienced paddlers, but many people who join us on a trip are inexperienced and looking to enjoy a new activity -- most importantly they want to escape to the wonderful outdoors. You'll notice the double kayaks all in a row, and that tells me that we were introducing the world of kayaking to some people.

So, it's important to have stable and roomy kayaks (with enough room to pack tasty food). If you're looking for such a beast, take a look at the Seaward kayak we use on our sea kayaking trips. It's called the Southwind kayak. Seaward is a Vancouver Island company, and it's a great local company offering a range of kayaks and kayaking gear. You can check them out on their website.

Better to watch than to hunt, says David Suzuki

2007-04-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

"Well, I'd rather see people watching whales than hunting them," says David Suzuki.

This quote is from an article in the Vancouver Sun on leaving a small environmental footprint when traveling. For those who don't know, Suzuki is a leading environmentalist here in Canada. His foundation has a website with lots of info at www.davidsuzuki.org . Who could argue with Suzuki on this one?

We at Sea to Sky, as a responsible company, adhere to no trace camping principles on our sea kayaking trips. These principles include camping on durable places, disposing of garbage and human waste properly, not removing any historical or cultural or natural things, minimizing campfire impact, respecting wildlife and using those guidelines established by conservationists.

kayaking trip bc

2007-04-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

With the weather getting warmer, my thoughts turn to the upcoming summer and the whales of Johnstone Strait

The signs of Spring are here on the coast of BC in Canada, so my eyes turn to maps and schedules as I look forward to the upcoming summer hiking, canoeing and kayaking season. Not being a big winter enthusiast, I really look forward to summer.

Take a look at the map here. It's one of the special areas out here on the coast of BC. Why? Think whales. Orca whales. That area called Johnstone Strait (in yellow on the map) is home to many orcas.

Kayaking with orcas in Johnstone Strait is one of those great sea kayaking trips in BC. There is a large population of these whales in Johnstone Strait, and they live there because of the living feast -- salmon that return to spawn.

One of the reasons we don't have a base camp on our kayaking trips is that the orcas, like all travelers, love to wander. We can go where they are hanging out.

We out here in this area are very lucky to be able to observe these beautiful animals. I remember a guide telling me about the effect of these water mammals on a 6 foot tall, 250 lb man. They were listening to the hydrophone, which broadcasts the orcas' underwater calls when submerged underwater, and heard a distinctive orca voice. They were looking around, trying to see the large beast which was nowhere in sight yet clearly announcing its approach. The man paused, took in the orcas' call and surveyed the scenery, and said "I think I"m going to cry."

Orcas Enjoy Winter In California

2007-03-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

Turns out that not only humans are drawn to California. But whereas humans visit Disneyland and bask in the sun, orcas are in search of food – salmon to be precise.

There’s an official news release at The Center for Whale Research (they have great photos too).

Scientists think that the two resident orca pods from southern British Columbia and Washington State headed on their unusual migration south because of dwindling salmon supplies in northern waters. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, we all need to eat to survive. Survival is good.

We’ll keep an eye out for news and report a return of these native orcas to our waters. In the meantime, there are plenty of other orca pods in the Johnstone Strait area. Thankfully.

kayaking on Canada's beautiful west coast

2007-03-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

Georgia, a Sea to Sky Expeditions guide for 10 years, says:

Time to share some photos. After 10 years of kayaking, and many wonderful memories, I can't possibly fit them all here. But here are a few to give you a sense of why I've been guiding with Sea to Sky for 10 years (that's me on the left, master outdoor chef).

Kayaking according to guide Georgia

2007-03-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what motivates an outdoor guide? Check out what our long-time guide Georgia has to say.

The joy of kayaking:

Serenity of the wilderness setting

Feeling of achievement following a full day of activity, followed by delicious and nutritious food

Enjoyment of creating meals that taste great and suprise guests

Time to relax and take stock of what really matters in life

Meeting new friends

Sharing my passion for the outdoors and kayaking with others

Teaching, learning, and developing all aspects of skills and self

Developing trips that inspire others to 'Discover new realms in themselves and in nature'

Abundance and variety of wildlife

Feeling of connection with nature and others on trip

What is this world so full of care, we have no time to stand and stare.

Unless you are on wilderness trip that affords you the time to step out of your work box and reconnect through observing nature. The subtle changes in weather, tides changing, wildlife passing, playing. The rhythm of nature begins to breath within me and brings a feeling of peace to my soul.

To be part of sharing all this with others is an honor that I cherish year after year.