There's a theory among whale watch captains that whales breach more when the waves are choppier. Last night's trip was definite proof for that theory!
We left the harbor southbound, searching for our earlier super pod. As we peeked out of the safety of the islands at Cattle Pass, the wind was blowing down from the Olympic Mountains, creating a fierce chop in the water. As we traveled northwest, sea spray was blowing over the bow and the port side of the boat; everyone took shelter. But then finally, our efforts paid off and we began to see dorsal fins and whale breath about 400 yards off our starboard bow: L-pod. We came about to travel behind the southbound killer whales. The chop and wind continued but the whales seemed to love it because just then, the breaching began! And I don't just mean one or two breaches, I mean forty to fifty over the course of thirty minutes! We had baby orcas breaching, whales breaching in call-and-response style, three whales breaching in a row, two whales breaching simultaneously, three baby whales breaching side by side, on and on. And then, the ultimate: a large mature adult male fully cleared the water in a breach! Was he showing the whale calves how it's done? Were we witnessing a teaching seminar on the how-tos of impressive breaching? We were surely impressed as humans watching!
Alas, the best whale watches often mean we have to pay for it somewhere and on the return trip to the harbor, we got a solid dousing from mother ocean! As we returned to Cattle Pass, we saw two bald eagles perched on a rock eying the water for delicious fishes; one even swooped down at the ocean's surface but then, at the last minute, thought better of his attempt.
Epic day on the water! Will you be joining us for the next breach-fest?!
Serena, Naturalist
San Juan Safaris