We have lived on Orcas Island for 11 years now, and in all this time I’d never seen orcas. It’s a pretty rare occurence to see them while on the ferry. You usually have to go out intentionally with a company who knows where to look.
Over the years I’ve chatted with tourists now and then about their whale watching adventures, but it hadn’t really been on my radar until a few months ago when I met two women who were still reveling in the jaw-dropping proximity they had experienced on a whale tour the day before. The orcas were literally right off the side of the boat – in the middle of a seal hunt!
There’s an important sidenote to that before I go any further. Boat captains are legally not allowed to go within a certain distance of whales when they spot them, but whales may end up approaching and passing boats.
So the other day, as I was on my daily walk passing the giant orca replica outside of Outer Island Expeditions’ storefront on North Beach Road in Eastsound, it dawned on me that I should make it a priority to live like a tourist and make sure I do all the things I would normally want to do if I were visiting a new place.
I had been thinking recently about the fact that I’ve never been to Bainbridge Island, Camano Island, or Salt Spring Island, to name a few from a list of many. And what a perfect jumping-off point Orcas Island is to experience the Inside Passage up to Alaska. Those all take some effort and planning, but gosh, whale watching is a cinch if you already live here. I should be going out to see those whales!
Now if you live here, you also know there is talk among locals about the ethical question of whale watching – should we go out on boats to look for whales, knowing lots of other companies are out there looking for them too? Will boats crowd the whales regardless of laws? Will the noise of the boats underwater mess with whales’ peace, perception, navigation, and hunting? I’ve heard many locals voice their moral dilemmas over the years when deliberating about whether to go. As an animal lover, I have been on the fence myself all along too.
My tipping point the other day was the realization that for all these years I’ve been living right next to orca-populated waters and I’ve never even seen one, yet I ride a gigantic ferry when I need to go off-island, never even considering the whales or anyone else in the water on those trips we deem “necessary.”
It turns out I had just decided in time for the final “Orcas Only” tour of the season. The plan was to meet at the Outer Island Expeditions kiosk at Smuggler’s Cove near North Beach.
Upon everyone’s arrival on this stunning, cloudless day, we walked a short distance to the boat ramp and boarded the Blackfish – a tank of a boat that rides smooth as silk.
This is Captain Jake. You may also recognize him from the summer Farmers’ Market at the Village Green, where he and his partner sell their beautiful hand-carved wood and resin creations…
Back to climbing on board for the whale-watching tour…
What a stunning day to be on the water – early fall, no wind, warm sun, and calm water.
We searched…
And searched…
And searched…
We slowed for a fascinating look at Spieden Island as Naturalist Chaz told us all about its history and wildlife. It is a privately owned island that was used for big game hunting by its owner in the 1970s and ’80s. He imported animals from Europe and Asia and some still remain there to this day, as we observed.
Chaz (aka Chaz Topaz), who is also a boat captain, majored in geology and is an enjoyable, fun-loving guy who loves nature and music and has worked in various capacities as an educator, naturalist, guide, and DJ through the years. It is obvious that he loves being out in the elements, and he’s a natural when it comes to being with people.
Back to the whale search. As we continued to cover mile after nautical mile of territory, circumnavigating Orcas Island in wide swaths far out into areas I had never before seen as a chaperone on many a school boat trip with elementary kids my children’s ages over the years, we began to accept that it just might not happen. Captains from various areas communicate with each other as they look around, and that day no one had yet spotted a whale anywhere.
No matter how far we ventured or where we looked, no plume of moistened air arose from the surface; no black knife arose and cut through the water; no screech of excited delight was heard that quiet, beautiful day on the boat.
We soon learned that what we were experiencing was almost unheard of – it was only the second day of the entire whale-watching season that Chaz hadn’t seen whales. And these captains and naturalists are out there all the time, often doing two trips a day.
True to their guarantee, and with a bit of dumbfounded shock, Chaz informed us all that we were invited to come again on another day as he held what was probably an almost-unused stack of vouchers to pass out.
After almost four hours of wonderful effort, our kind crew returned us to Smuggler’s Cover and graciously helped us back onto the dock. I actually had a lovely day. It couldn’t have been a more breathtaking day on the water, probably the best sky and sea conditions in my life. After many weeks of busyness and our older son’s upcoming move to college, I fully indulged in all of the solo contemplation time as we skimmed over the water through the world’s most perfect air.
A week later, my chance came again.
This time, we would be meeting at the ferry landing, driving to Smuggler’s Cove to board the boat, and ending at the ferry landing…
Not 15 minutes into the trip, we were seeing orcas! Talk about instant gratification! And not just a quick fin out of the water and nothing else. No, we had a show!
It was exciting! Though these photos seem far away, it didn’t feel that way. It was actually quite amazing. After about ten minutes of watching, it occurred to me that there were 11 boats in the surrounding water. But no one was obnoxious. Everyone respectfully kept their distance. Well, except for a motorized dinghy with three guys in it who were reprimanded for following the whales too closely.
The sightings got everyone’s curiosity flowing, and the on-going question-and-answer session was on! The ever-smiling Davina, who goes by her last name, Liberty, was encyclopedic in her marine knowledge. She knew the answers to every question she was asked. Her sweatshirt read “Just a Girl Who Loves Orcas,” but she is also an Outer Islands Expeditions captain (as well as a captain of her own boat) and her depth of knowledge was ceaseless. I began to think, Wow, I need to be reading more books. Perhaps Liberty’s books! She’s written several, including a trilogy for young readers. As her Amazon biography states, “In her spare time (it does happen!) she writes, rides her horses, freedives, and travels internationally. Her first book, The Keeper of Fire, won the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Award for Children’s Fantasy, and the sequel won a 2021 Royal Dragonfly Award for Children’s Fiction, with an honorable mention in Fantasy.”
This is Liberty swimming with whales (!) in Norway…
Methinks Outer Island Expeditions has hired the right captains and naturalists!
After a nice, long time of viewing, we set off to see some other sights…
What you also need to see are photos not taken by me but by the pros on the boats who are out there every day with the whales. Here are some from the Outer Island Expeditions Instagram page:
Thank you, Outer Island Expeditions staff, for a wonderful double-shot out there. You are beyond caring, knowledgeable, and respectful of the marine life you spend your days observing.
To book a tour or peruse their site, go to www.outerislandx.com. Outer Island Expeditions also goes by Outer Island Excursions.
