Helloooo. This forum needs some fresh meat. Lots of PNWesters out there. Time for you sailors to way in? Anecdotes, perceptions, observations, etc.
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This past season my oldest son and is four year old boy came up from Texas for a two week cruise. One part was to find Orcas, so the west side of San Juan Island at Lime Kiln was called for.
Under sail, beating to a very light wind southbound, we spotted a herd coming up from behind. We were going slow enough that the pod came right through, around and under our boat. We saw at least one calf.
While we were standing still in the water, for the first time we saw a bull broach and spin completely out of the water. Another bull came up very close to our boat (almost close enough to touch him) turned and did a major tail slap spraying us with sea water. That was when the cow and calf were also close to our boat. A protection maneuver, I suspect.
We counted about 35 Orcas in this pod, which went on for maybe twenty minutes, to the point it became...so what else do you have to show us? Ram or jump into our boat.
Always so much to see and experience in PNW waters.
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This past season my oldest son and is four year old boy came up from Texas for a two week cruise. One part was to find Orcas, so the west side of San Juan Island at Lime Kiln was called for.
Under sail, beating to a very light wind southbound, we spotted a herd coming up from behind. We were going slow enough that the pod came right through, around and under our boat. We saw at least one calf.
While we were standing still in the water, for the first time we saw a bull broach and spin completely out of the water. Another bull came up very close to our boat (almost close enough to touch him) turned and did a major tail slap spraying us with sea water. That was when the cow and calf were also close to our boat. A protection maneuver, I suspect.
We counted about 35 Orcas in this pod, which went on for maybe twenty minutes, to the point it became...so what else do you have to show us? Ram or jump into our boat.
Always so much to see and experience in PNW waters.
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