Discovered yesterday already dead. Click here to learn more about this animal.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Friday, June 16, 2006
A Channel & Ocean Magic
Today Victoria's A Channel came aboard to film the new Ocean Magic 2 and interview Prince of Whales president "Alan McGillivray". We met the Ocean Magic 2 on it's way in from Race Rocks at noon today to film her in action! A beautiful boat she is! I'll be uploading a video clip of her in action soon!
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Jpod & harbour porpoise / Chantelle Tucker
This morning we went in search of orcas and orcas we did find! Jpod was spread widely apart at the bottom of Lopez Island all the way from in shore to out shore. The animals were in a traditional feeding display keeping their activities below the surface. J1 Ruffles and J2 Granny were present. Saw a small group with a young calf probably 1-2 years old.
This afternoon we found Jpod widely spread apart. Some animals grouped into 2's and 3's. Saw J2 Granny in the mix. On our way home we saw quite a few harbour porpoises milling in a tide rip. Shy but very sweet little animals they are. Lpod apparently headed west this afternoon and are now well into Sooke and probably beyond. No word of K's yet...
Monday, June 12, 2006
Lpod / Chantelle Tucker & Mark Malleson
(top breach sequence by Mark Malleson)
(same breach from different angle, further away by Chantelle Tucker)
We set out on the Ocean Magic today thinking that we would not be seeing any of our southern residents today since Jpod was out of range and K's and L's were still traveling inbound. Not to complain however. We had a lovely journey on calm seas checking out our beautiful Oak Bay islands which hosted a variety of viewings of eagles, cormorants, seals and harbour porpoise. After watching the porpoises for a while we ventured across epic Juan de Fuca Strait to Race Rocks to check out the sea lions. Just as we approached the area, we got word that a large group of L's were approaching from out west (Sooke). They were spread out over miles however were in journey to the San Juan Island. We know that another large group is approaching from Johnstone Strait and got word they were around the Campbell River area this afternoon. Tomorrow we expect the super pod we have all been waiting for! These are definately exciting times.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Jpod, eagles, seals / Chantelle Tucker
J pod
Originally uploaded by itsablast.
near Turn Point, Stuart Island/photo by Mark Malleson
Today was glorious on the water! Flat, sunny absolutely perfect for our voyage over to San Juan Island. When we arrived, we found Jpod very spread apart all the way from the south to the north end of San Juan Island. We made our way north so that we could get ahead of the group. Luckily for us out there, Jpod came together into tight groups and traveled north while giving us the odd tail slap here and there. They hugged the shoreline pretty close for a while but then moved out a bit as they made their way. On our way home we saw a pair of bald eagles hanging out in Discovery Island, Oak Bay. Finally, we stopped by Trial Island where we found several seals basking in the warm afternoon sun. A great way to end our voyage this afternoon.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
J41 / Mark Malleson
J41 turns 1 year old this month. J41 is seen here with its mom J19.
Originally uploaded by itsablast.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
J pod & Brown Pelican / Rachael Griffin
Today’s noon trip on the Ocean Magic started out with reports of whales off Friday Harbour heading north. As we neared the north end of San Juan Island we could see whales breaching off Spieden Island. Ruffles, J1, and the group turned south and traveled down the west side of Henry Island. On the trip back the skies cleared and we stopped to look at a brown pelican.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Monday, April 17, 2006
Transients / Mark Malleson
We had a trio of transient killer whales today which included T14, T93, and T101b. This was the same group from yesterday. We watched them swim past Discovery Island and head north up Haro Strait. I got a report from an American researcher that they turned south near Kelp Rf. and were on a line for Mount Douglas Park. I kept an eye out for them after work from shore anticipating that they may swim through Oak Bay. Just before dark I saw them skulking around Chatham Island near the seal haulouts.
Mark Malleson
Mark Malleson
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Transient killer whales kill steller sealion / Mark Malleson
On Saturday April 8th we got word from our American associates that a group of killer whales were milling off of Partridge Pt.(the west side of Whidbey Island).
We had a fortunate group of whale watchers which had decided to head out on a late afternoon trip shortly before we got the information.
We took the run out east and found a group of 5 transient killer whales hunting an immature male steller sealion. After watching the whales ramming and leaping on the lion for over an hour they succeeded in immobilizing and drowning him. We had been keeping an eye on a mature bull killer whale who was lurking around on the outskirts during the hunt which we later identified as T14 (better known as "Pender" by the whale watching community) who is a single male transient which we see fairly regularly throughout the year. Although he was not involved in this hunt, it looked as though he was joining the hunting party for scraps as we were departing the scene.
The other killer whales were later identified as the T49's and T65's who are better known from south-east Alaska.
Mark Malleson
(Prince of Whales skipper)
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Ocean Magic with orcas
20050710J's 015
Originally uploaded by itsablast.
Our Ocean Magic Cruiser with killer whales. Photo by our skipper Mark Malleson. Taken during the 2005 summer season.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
How Much For An Orca?
(photo credit)
Dave Neiwert has an awesome article on resident orca populations in this week's Seattle Weekly in which he issues marching orders to the various people involved with trying to save local resident orca pods. Researchers, there needs to be more evidence that the Snake River dams are depriving the pods of the chinnok salmon that are their main food source. Get to it. Environmental action groups, the Endangered Species Act is a powerful weapon that can be leveraged in court against the dams that are killing those salmon. Chop chop.
His awesome article becomes even awesomer when you read his blog post about it where he realizes what he left out. Whale watching is big business and someone needs to figure out exactly how big. Eastern Washingtonians are pretty attached to their dams and the money the generate. Healthy whales also have a financial value, it turns out.
Eric de Place at Cascadia Scorecard similarly assigned dollar value to endangered species this week:
In Idaho, fully functioning sport salmon fisheries have been valued as high as $544 million per year. Though that estimate is disputed, it's for just one year for one of the several states where that $160 million was spent in 2004 to assist king salmon.
These guys aren't pondering the monetary value of salmon and orcas for the fun of it, of course. They're responding to a Washington Post article that attacks the Endangered Species Act on financial grounds: They are called by many names, but considering how much the government spends to protect them, their name in Alaska and some other regions -- king salmon -- seems most apt.
In 2004, federal and state governments spent more than $160 million to preserve that salmon species, commonly known as chinook -- listed by the federal government as endangered in the early 1990s. And that doesn't include the millions spent on other kinds of salmon, such as sockeye, coho and chum.
Posted by Dan in Environment
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Gift Certificates
Prince of Whales is pleased to offer Gift Certificates for 2006. If you are thinking of something unique for someone special, consider a 'once in a life-time' whale watching trip. Contact us at (250)383-4884 or 1-800 383-4884 (toll free) or www.info@princeofwhales.com for details.
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