Tag Archives: orcas

Breaching killer whales, soaring eagles, and sea lions hauled out on rocks along stunning shorelines—these are just a few of the sights that people travel to the San Juan Islands every year by foot, boat, or plane to behold. Of course, if you’ve been to the islands before, then you know their moniker as “the hidden gem of Washington State” …

The orca population of the Pacific Northwest is dying. There isn’t much debate about this; every expert in marine biology agrees. The local orcas, known as the southern resident killer whales (SRKW), have had population fluctuations since the 1970’s, but the latest data shows a population in permanent decline. This is really bad news. As apex predators, the orcas are …

Lanni Johnson, grandmother of six, has become increasingly concerned about the fate of the Southern Resident killer whale. Over the last few years she has watched more than a dozen killer whales perish from a combination of factors, all exacerbated by unconscionable declines in Chinook salmon runs. “Witnessing an extinction event in my own backyard has caused me deep concern. …

Water is my element, where I feel most at home. Kayaking is my passion, bringing out the best in me and challenging me to be better. Bringing a camera on my watery sojourns helps me share this passion in a colorful, soulful reality. In spring 2010, with my world scaled down to an eighteen-foot sea kayak and a 1,200 mile ribbon of water …

Acquisition Protects Entire Ridgeline, Provides Public Access to Turtlehead   The San Juan Preservation Trust has acquired a property on Orcas Island that will add more than 140 acres to the Turtleback Mountain Preserve and permanently protect the entire ridgeline of the mountain. The iconic turtle-shaped profile of Turtleback Mountain is recognizable from throughout the San Juan archipelago. It was …