Orca Cruise: Photography

2020 Orca Cruise Photography

1 – Diary Entry
August 19

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For the next 30 days we will be studying the feeding behaviours of resident killer whales, and assessing the abundance of chinook salmon available to them. Our ultimate goal is to determine whether southern resident killer whales are experiencing a food shortage in the Salish Sea.

2. Diary Entry
August 21

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3. Diary
August 22

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Our voyage from Campbell River to Johnstone Strait was remarkably quiet. Unlike past years, there were no cruise ships, and very few vessels of any kind. It has been eerily quiet. We went for long stretches without seeing another human being. None of us has ever seen it like this. It feels like another time and era.

We did not encounter any killer whales, but did learn that they have been seen rubbing their bodies on the pebble beaches of Robson Bight in Johnstone Strait. It bodes well for our research.

4 RESEARCH – basis for study
August 23

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5 Research Tag
August 24

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6 Research Tag
August 27

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It takes a lot of skill and expertise to place a suction-cupped data-logger onto a killer whale.

The most difficult part of tagging a whale is piloting the vessel into the proper position next to the whales. Fortunately, we have a skipper with years of whale-watching experience to safely navigate near them. He starts each approach by analysing the behaviour of the whales to establish their swimming speed and heading. He will then parallel them and gently slide towards an individual until we are at just the right distance. Any harassment or sudden movements on our part, would cause the whale to avoid us. They are very aware of our presence and behaviour —- they just don’t know our intent.

7 Research Tag
August 28