Orca Soundwatch in Puget Sound

In the meantime, if you would like to experience the thrill of seeing orca whales in the wild this year, we recommend you consider participating on one of our sea kayaking tours in the San Juan Islands of Washington.

Importance of the Project: Orca whales are a top-echelon predator and therefor sensitive to many pressures. They need a great deal of space to roam and hunt, usually 100 miles per day, and access to large amounts of prey to fill their appetites. Interference from whale-watchers poses a threat to their natural behaviors and could possibly prevent normal sleep and feeding habits, or even mating and nursing of calves. Unfortunately, the pacific salmon, their primary prey, is quickly becoming commercially extinct in the region. This is adding another layer of stress to the orcas' lives that could magnify potential problems caused by boaters. And finally, due to industrial pollution along the west coast of North America, the diet of the whales has become contaminated and many individuals have tested very high for certain toxins. The year 1994 witnessed six resident orcas' deaths, the highest total in nearly twenty years. If the resident orca families should perish in our lifetimes, after having survived here now for an estimated ten thousand years, we know that humanity will be the cause.

About the Study Area: The San Juan Archipelago is located in the northwest corner of Washington State, north of Puget Sound proper. The island cluster straddles the Washington-British Columbia border, while encompassing several hundred islands, rocks, and reefs. There is a nearly equal number of twisting shoreline miles, creating an extensive "ecotone" between ocean and terrestrial habitats. The archipelago is characterized by an extremely rich marine environment and a friendly, rural countryside. The micro-climate of the San Juans is often referred to as a "banana belt"--a result of the "rainshadow" cast by the Olympic Mountains. The islands are a popular recreation area for boaters of all types, bicyclists, divers, fishermen, and general tourists. The research expedition begins and ends in Friday Harbor, the largest town in the archipelago (pop. 2000), located on San Juan Island. Friday Harbor is the home of The Whale Museum and the University of Washington Marine Laboratories. Click on the following for more information on this destination, including important local numbers and ideas for things to do on the island.

Project History & Principal Researcher: Richard Osborne initiated the Soundwatch Project in 1994. His studies of orca whales began in the late 1970s and has been the focus of his scientific career. Rich was a participant in the pioneering research done in this region and has evolved into one of the world's recognized authorities on orca whales. Rich is the research director of the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, a position he has held for nearly a decade, and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Victoria. His thesis project concerns the interactions of vessels with orcas, the primary essence of the Soundwatch Project. He is the senior author of Marine mammals of Greater Puget Sound, published in 1988 by Islands Press. It is widely regarded as the best marine mammal guide for the region. Thanks to Rich's friendly disposition and vast knowledge, he is in great demand as an educator and public speaker throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Project Objectives:
1) The main goal of the Soundwatch program is to promote public awareness and understanding of the impacts that boating has on the target species of marine mammals for "ecotourism" activities in the region. It is hoped that a positive public response can be achieved by an educational program, rather than an enforcement system that punishes the public.
2) Elimination of a significant number of potential harassment incidents.
3) Better stewardship of the area and wildlife by tourists and residents.
4) Documentation of alleged harassment incidents.
5) Behavioral observations of orcas in the vicinity of humans.

Field Work & Conditions: The goals of the Soundwatch project are to by accomplished by providing an educational boat, the "Soundwatcher", which will be on call during the summer tourist season. When orca whales are known to be in the area (and sometimes even when they are not) "Soundwatcher" will be on patrol to talk with boaters about the regional guidelines for proper vessel operation around marine mammals. The target audience for the program are power boaters, sailing craft, and sea kayaks. Besides opening a dialogue with these recreational boaters, the crew will hand out educational materials. Information will also be dispensed on the proper behavior near harbor seals, porpoises, minke whales, and seabirds.

"Soundwatcher" is an extremely seaworthy 18 foot-long, outboard motor-powered vessel made with a unique combination of durable aluminum and solid buoyancy material. This construction style is recognized by the US Coast Guard as the safest for boats in its size range. It is fast enough to patrol the primary ecotourism area and may travel as far as 30 or more miles from port each day. The operator of the vessel is Richard Osborne and others from his staff specially trained for handling boats in the vicinity of marine mammals. One to three participants will act as crew and educators under the direction of Rich and his staff. Weather is usually calm and sunny during the summer months, however, occasional wind storms or drizzly conditions occur. When bad weather poses a risk to crew or vessel we will remain ashore as safety is our first priority.

Participants must provide their own lodging, meals, and transportation for the duration of their session. Many people choose to camp at a waterfront park or stay at bed & breakfast establishments. There is local mini-bus service, taxis, and bicycle rentals for getting around the island if you do not bring a car.

In addition to the project work, there will also be time for leisure activities, especially if the whales decide to spend a day outside of the archipelago's waters. Opportunities exist for hiking the woodlands and beaches, fishing, scuba diving, bicycling, and evening gatherings with fellow participants and staff members. Staff and associates often are engaged with lectures or presentations, in which case volunteers will be invited to attend.

Itinerary: Our activities are entirely dependent on the distribution of whales and weather conditions. Consequently, daily activities may vary from this suggested five-day itinerary. Your participation can be as short as three days or as long as seven or more days depending upon your own wishes.

Day One: We will meet you at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal at a pre-arranged time. This day will be utilized for orientation, establishing your campsite, food provisioning, and, probably, some field work.

Days Two to Four: Forays at sea to observe whale and vessel interactions. Field schedules will vary and be weather and/or tide dependent. Most cruises will be from 10am to 4pm but expect some possible early morning or late evening cruises, and/or longer days on the water. Be sure to bring a lunch and snacks aboard "Soundwatcher". Other meals will be taken at your campsite or at local restaurants as you desire. Some land-bound time may be spent organizing data, purchasing supplies, and maintaining research equipment. Some free time will be available during the week, particularly during evenings. See "Field Work & Conditions" section.

Day Five: Last day of vessel forays. Duties will be finished by late afternoon. Participants may choose to depart the island on this day or remain in the area to pursue a personal itinerary.

Equipment: We will provide you with a life jacket for use on board "Soundwatcher". The research vessel is equipped with the proper safety and signaling equipment as well as a VHF marine radiotelephone. A complete personal equipment checklist will be provided upon confirmation of your reservation.

Meals: All meals are the responsibility of the participant. San Juan Island offers many grocery stores, excellent restaurants, and even a farmer's market.

Weather: The San Juan Islands boast one of the finest micro-climates in the Pacific Northwest. Strategically positioned within the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains, the archipelago is typically sunny and very dry throughout the summer. Due to the strong maritime influence, air temperatures are mild, averaging 60-75°F by day and 50-65°F at night. Strong winds are uncommon during summer and early fall so wave action should be minimal. The islands are situated quite far from the effects of ocean swells and surf. Sea temperature hovers around 50°F in mid-summer so don't plan on doing much swimming unless you have the blood of a polar bear. Divers and snorkelers wear full wetsuits or drysuits in the San Juans. Of course, when it comes to packing clothes, hope for the best but prepare for the worst! Click here to view hotlinks for weather forecasts.

Logistics: Transportation to the staging area is the responsibility of the participant. Friday Harbor is accessible by regularly scheduled air flights, tour boats, and ferries. Most travel itineraries require passing through either Seattle, Vancouver, or Victoria. From these cities, as well as Bellingham and Anacortes, you can easily connect with one of the many scheduled flights or sailings to Friday Harbor. Flight reservations on the small island carriers should be made far in advance during summer months.

Most people reach the island via ferry after driving or bussing to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal. There is no reservation system for the ferries. If you are bringing a vehicle to the island you must have it in line at least two hours in advance of vessel departure. Peak travel times like holidays and weekends (pm Friday through am Saturday) may require even more time. We recommend that you park your car on the mainland and travel as a foot passenger. This will save you both time and money, but be sure to allow at least one hour for ticketing, parking, and boarding.

There are only two truly nice places to camp with vehicles on the island and reservations are strongly advised.

Reservations for all types of travel and accommodations should be made far in advance! Please click on the link below to visit our detailed web page for travel and accommodation information for the San Juan Islands.

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Click on the links below to learn more about our exciting offerings:
San Juan Island Washington Sea Kayaking Trips and Tours with Orca Whales:
Friday Harbor Sea Kayaking Vacations in the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound,
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