Another season of endless summer days has past. Gone are the waves, the wild, and the sea. Yet, the memories of salmon fishing amidst several pods of orcas are still fresh in my mind as this term of university begins. It is always a sad leave taking, departing from the less populated region of Northern Johnstone Strait. This year I managed a visit to Orcalab on Hansen Island. It was created as a means to study the orcas without intruding upon their lifestyle. This is done by listening to their vocalization through a series of underwater hydrophones. Because the calls of each matriline are slightly different, Orcalab can track each group of whales (well... technically speaking orcas are a type of dolphin) from their station overlooking Blackfish Sound. This means less boat disturbance, and confusion for the orcas. The locaction of the research station is ideal as the animals frequently pass right infront of it!
Despite leaving the land of the orcas,I shall still be able to listen to them during the next few months. The station has a live feed from the hydrophones online 24/7 at http://www.orca-live.net/community/index.html . Regarding this, I must also say that the pods coming through the Johnstone Strait area during the winter are far fewer then now. I am hoping to do an internship at Orcalab either next summer or in 2012.
Seeing as tomorrow promises to come bright and early, I must catch the short few hours of sleep that remain.
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