L112 and her mother, L86 (Photo courtesy Center for Whale Research)

The necropsy report  by Cascadia Research et al states that the cause of death is still unknown. (Warning: the report contains graphic and potentially disturbing photos). It also includes this very troubling data:

“Internal exam revealed significant trauma around the head, chest and right side; at this point the cause of these injuries is unknown. There have been reports of sonar activity in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the past week and a half and members of K and L pod were reportedly in the area at the time as well. We do not know if this whale was among those in the area but the possibility is under consideration.”

Did sonar deployment kill this young orca? We don’t know yet, but per the necropsy, it is a possibility.  

I am sorry for the loss of any orca in this Endangered population, but particularly this one.

Not too long ago, good friends of ours in Whale Trail communities along Highway 112 on the Olympic Peninsula adopted this very whale because of her ID number (112). Schools and other community organizations along the Strait of Juan de Fuca enthusiastically participated in  the Whale Museum’s contest to name her.

• Orca calf survival rates before they reach 1 are only 50/50. When a calf has survived its first year, it becomes eligible to be adopted through the Whale Museum. Each year, the Whale Museum holds a contest to name the year-old whales. L112 was nicknamed “Sooke” in 2010.

Whether Sooke died from natural or non-natural causes is not yet clear. We look forward to  learning the test results and will keep you posted here.

Most of all, we hope that the death of this young whale will inform and strengthen our resolve to protect her kin, our beloved southern resident orcas. They cannot endure many losses like this, and they simply cannot disappear on our watch.

L112 Breaching (Photo courtesy Center for Whale Research)

We watched from Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook  until the blows were faint puffs against the dark shore. Last we heard (around 4:30), they were milling at KVI Beach on Vashon (a little north of Point Robinson). 

These are likely the same whales were here yesterday, too – members of K and L pod (see below). The southern resident orcas have been unusually scarce in local waters this winter, so it is great to see them back again – two days in a row! (We think – today’s IDs haven’t been confirmed.)

Yesterday (2/9) the orcas traveled south past the Vashon ferry lane in the morning, turned around near Dilworth and headed back north. They were moving noticeably slow, taking hours to cover what they usually cross in about 45 minutes (Vashon to Alki).We heard reports of some breaching near Blake Island, and spyhops near the mid-channel buoy.

By the time I caught up with them around 1:30, they were still visible from shore, near the Bainbridge ferry lane. And they still seemed to be in no particular hurry, milling and foraging mid-Sound, in a large group.

Of course the question was, who were we watching? They were too far from shore for us to tell, but Jeff Hogan (Killer Whale Tales) got some ID photos. From these, Dave Ellifrit (Center for Whale Research) was able to identify members of K and L pods – K21, K40, L84, and maybe K35, L100, and L2.

This is also the same group of whales who were recorded in this amazing video taken earlier this week at Discovery Bay (between Port Townsend and Sequim) by Jeff D’Amico.

While we waited to see if the whales would turn back north, we fit in a little bird-watching, too. We saw grebes, surf scoters, and my favorite, Harlequin ducks. (We also saw a paddle-boarder with a dog on his board. Yikes!) We met lots of new friends and neighbors, and thanks to R.E.I, had plenty of binoculars to share! 

The rain stopped, the wind died, and the water turned glassy and calm. We were caught in that delicious layer of light between the gray-green Sound and the canopy of clouds, streaked with gold as the sun started going down.

It was another great day on The Whale Trail. Here’s to getting the orcas off the Endangered species list so there are afternoons like this for generations to come.

Whale Trail Sign, Freshwater Bay County Park

The Whale Trail began as a daydream almost 30 years ago. When the southern resident orcas became Endangered in 2005, the idea took on a new urgency. In 2008, we formed the core team and launched the Whale Trail, building on the relationships that helped get Springer, an orphaned orca, safely home.

Today, with the help of site partners, supporters and volunteers all around the region, our Whale Trail dream is coming true. There are 25 sites on the Whale Trail so far, with many more in progress. In the coming years, we plan to add sites around the coastal waters of Washington State and British Columbia, throughout the orcas’ range. 

• We installed the first Whale Trail signs in August 2010, and celebrated with a ceremony at Salt Creek Recreation Area near Port Angeles. 
• In August 2011, two Whale Trail signs were posted on every Washington State Ferry. 
• Through our current signs alone, the Whale Trail will reach over 24 million people each year!

Awareness into Action – Whale Trail Programs

The Whale Trail makes the critical connection between Sound stewardship and orca recovery, and provides innovative tools and programs to engage in these efforts. In the past two years, we have:

• Created and conducted the first-ever Orca Steward training in West Seattle
• Piloted a Whale Trail shuttle on San Juan Island
• Created and piloted the Do One Thing for the Whales campaign
• Created shore-based whale-watching kits, featuring binoculars donated by R.E.I.
• Hosted three lectures at the Duwamish Longhouse
• Spearheaded Welcome the Orcas events, including OrcaFest at the Alki Bathhouse
•  Participated in dozens of outreach events around the region, including Storming the Sound, Celebrate Elwha and the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference. 

Taking the The Next Steps – You Can Help!

For a young organization, we have accomplished a lot. The first signs are in place, and our pilot programs have been successful and well-received. We have created a small but highly effective organization, leveraging strong relationships with partners, and an engaged, motivated team of volunteers. We have done a lot – and we are just getting started. Our goals for the coming year include:

• Add at least 15 more sites to The Whale Trail
• Train Orca Stewards around the region
• Relaunch and maintain our website as a robust, resource-rich tool that encourages and measures community engagement. 
• Spearhead Welcome the Orcas month around Puget Sound in October
• Host lectures in Seattle and around The Whale Trail
• Launch the Do One Thing for the Whales campaign on a wider scale.
• Continue to build strong relationships with site partners, community members and other NGOs.

To accomplish these goals, we need your help. For the first time ever, we are reaching out to friends like you. We know that times are hard. But we also know that when it comes to the southern resident orcas, there is no time to waste. 

• If current trends continue or worsen, J, K and L pods could disappear from our waters in less than 100 years. 
• We are working together to create The Whale Trail to make sure that doesn’t happen. 

Make a donation to Coast Watch Society for The Whale Trail today.

• Click the Donate button on our website, or
• Send a check to Coast Watch Society for The Whale Trail. Checks should be written to Coast Watch Society. Include  a note stating that the donation is for the Whale Trail, and send to: The Whale Trail, c/o Coast Watch Society, 615 N State Street # 201, Bellingham WA 98225

The Whale Trail is a registered non-profit corporation in Washington State. Coast Watch Society is our fiscal sponsor while our application for federal recognition as a 501(c)3 is in progress. Your donations to Coast Watch Society for The Whale Trail are tax-deductible.

Thank you for being part of this emerging, amazing story. Together, we will turn the tide for the whales!

Donna

Tail Lob!

Whales in the ‘hood today! We watched J and K pods most of the day from shore in West Seattle. They were foraging mid-channel – at one point there were blows stretching from the north end of Vashon to the south end of Bainbridge. And for the first time ever – we had plenty of binoculars to go around! (thank you, R.E.I.!)

Looking around

They bunched up around 2 and headed north again in two tight groups. We last saw them from Alki Beach, breaching on the horizon. A chilly but thrilling day on the Whale Trail!

Thanks to Judy Lane for sharing her photos. KOMO-TV got some great footage, too:

http://www.komonews.com/home/video/Orca-pod-takes-afternoon-swim-in-Puget-Sound–134715733.html

Thanks to Matt, Jeff, Alejandro and everyone at the Feedback and Big Al’s Brewing Company for their creative and delicious support of The Whale Trail and other non-profits in our community. We love West Seattle!

Please let us know if there’s an upcoming event (lecture, film, meeting, conference…) we should know about.

In the meantime, we’ll be watching for orcas in Puget Sound, and gray whales on the Coast. See you on The Whale Trail – or at the Feedback!

NEWS RELEASE

October 18, 2011

Contact: Donna Sandstrom, The Whale Trail, 206.933.0206 
                Marta Coursey, Washington State Ferries, 206.515.3918
 
IDENTIFY MARINE MAMMALS USING NEW WHALE TRAIL SIGNS ON STATE FERRIES 

Just in time for Fall when orcas travel into Puget Sound, Washington State Ferries and The Whale Trail have partnered to provide ferry passengers with onboard guides to identifying Puget Sound marine mammals.

Travelers can use two signs on each ferry vessel and one in each ferry terminal to familiarize themselves with marine mammals living in Puget Sound and help identify animals during transits.

“Our Southern Resident orcas are endangered.  Ferries are perfect places to observe them and our many other marine mammals,” said Donna Sandstrom, executive director of The Whale Trail. “Our orcas depend on the health of the entire Puget Sound. Having these signs on the ferries is a good way to let folks know they use the entire region.”

The signs provide descriptions of orcas, gray whales, Dall’s porpoise, harbor seals and California sea lions and explain the habitat needs for the animals. The signs are the first generation of Whale Trail signs to feature a “QR” code that allow linking via mobile devices to The Whale Trail’s web site.

“Washington State Ferries is happy to be a partner with The Whale Trail on this important project,” said Washington State Ferries’ communication director Marta Coursey. “The educational signs displayed in our terminals and aboard our ferries are an added value to our customers.”
 
“This is an excellent example of the kind of partnership it takes to recover our endangered Southern Resident orca population,” said Lynne Barre of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “The Whale Trail implements actions from the Recovery Plan that includes raising awareness and inspiring appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment.”

“The Whale Trail is profoundly grateful to all our partners, especially Chuck Gibilisco and Mike O’Malley at the Department of Fish and Wildlife for printing the signs, and to the The Seattle Aquarium for donating the graphic design services,” said Sandstrom.

The Whale Trail is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment by establishing a network of viewing sites along the whales’ trails through Puget Sound and the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest. 

The Whale Trail has established 20 sites in Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Washington coast, with many more to come.

The Whale Trail’s partners include Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, People For Puget Sound, Seattle Aquarium, Washington State Ferries, and The Whale Museum.

Mouth of the Elwha

We spent the third weekend of September in Port Angeles, helping to celebrate the Elwha dams coming down. The Elwha once produced all six species of Pacific salmonids, including record-setting Chinook salmon. The return of the river is great news for the Endangered southern resident orcas, who prefer Chinook salmon above all other prey.

The Elwha and Glines Canyon dams were built in the early 1900s, to provide hydroelectricity for  a pulp mill in Port Angeles, and other other communities around the Olympic Peninsula.

The dams were installed without a fish passage, and blocked access to all but the first five miles of the river. Over 70 miles of upstream habitat was lost to returning runs. Within five years of the dams being built, anadromous species had disappeared from the Elwha’s upper reaches. 

Looking west from the rivermouth

Remnants of the native salmon runs remain, though their numbers are severely reduced. From an estimated pre-dam size of over 300,000, today’s runs total about 3,000 fish. The Seattle Times reports that native Chinook have been reduced to a record low of 500 fish.

Will the salmon recover, and will they return in numbers big enough, and soon enough, to make a difference for the orcas? Only time will tell. But the weekend signaled a historic step in the right direction.

We take heart in the resilience and endurance of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, who have been working towards this moment for generations, and never gave up. Like the salmon who haven’t stopped trying to go home, though their way has been blocked for over 100 years. 

And we are inspired by the environmentalists, agencies and government officials who had the vision, courage and persistence to help make it happen. We were thrilled to be part of the celebration, and glad to have the whales represented at the party!

Whale Trail booth on the Pier

On Saturday, we had a booth at the Celebrate Elwha festival on the City Pier. About 1000 people attended the event, which featured art, music, food and a simulcast of the dam removal ceremony. 

On Sunday, we participated in Explore Elwha, which  featured hands-on activities at stations throughout the watershed. Our station was near the mouth of the Elwha, at a glorious spot on what turned out to be a sunny day. 

Kathy waiting for another shuttle of visitors

Whale Trail station at Explore Elwha

Visitors helped us “feed the whales” – decorating salmon drawings, and posting them on boards for J, K and L pods. 

Feeding the Whales

Salmon Wishes for the Whales

Fish Wish Detail

 On the way home, Kathy and I followed Sande Balch’s excellent directions to the Elwha River Bridge, which includes a pedestrian bridge and easy access to the river.

After talking about Chinook salmon all weekend, it was thrilling to see schools of them pooling in the river, heading upstream. In the shadows of the shallows they were hard to pick out, until a movement – a sudden splash or the flash of a fin  – gave them away.  We were hushed and awed at their effort to clear each riffle; the epic journey coming to an end at our feet.

Salmon carcasses, spawned and spent, collected in a ghostly white pile in an eddy downstream. Along the bank, blood-stained rocks told of a recent bear feast. Salmon are a keystone species, feeding not just orcas in the ocean, but over 100 species of animals and plants throughout the forest. 

We wondered how many creatures were watching from the woods, waiting for the humans to leave so they could start fishing again.

Congratulations to the Olympic National Park, Nature Bridge and all the event organizers for a well-run, meaningful celebration.

Thanks especially to Whale Trail volunteers Kathy, Ken, Evangeline and Jay, who made it possible for us to be there.

Sources for this post, and to learn more about the Elwha:

Seattle Times Special Report - Elwha: the grand experiment

Olympic National Park FAQ

Glines Canyon Dam Removal Process 

Elwha Dam Removal Process 

We caught up with them just south of Alki, and followed them from shore at Me-Kwa-Mooks and Lincoln Park, till they passed the ferry dock and out of view. We believe it’s a group of transients, about 20 – 30 whales total, and will update this when we’ve gotten confirmation.

It is a spectacular day  for whale-watching. We also got to break out our brand new shore-based whale-watching kits, and pass around the binoculars that were donated by REI (thank you!)

Last we heard the orcas were rounding Quartermaster Harbor on Vashon Island – headed towards Colvos Passage? Stay tuned, and see you on The Whale Trail!