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Whale Watching
- Thread starter forrest
- Start date
Forrest, I can't tell from your post and profile if you have a C-Dory or are planning to use your own boat. If it is a whale watching charter you are looking for the vessel "Soulmate" is a 25' C-Dory that does charter whale expeditions out of Friday Harbor. I've never met the owner (bcarli) but I have seen his vessel at the Friday Harbor Marina. (He is a C-Brat). I'm sure you can google other companys if that is what you are looking for and they can tell you if now is a good time. Snug Harbor is a bit of a distance from Friday Harbor but is in a nice setting. Back in the late 60's and early 70's, I stayed there with family.
Hope this is a help.
Hope this is a help.
Forrest,
I accept your hull. I tried to rent cabins at Snug Harbor this coming summer. They said they will be closed due to remodeling. Asked about getting a slip too - they said nope. You might want to inquire with them, it might alter your plans. It is good idea to be out on the west side of San Juan island though - i think that's where the tour boats head.
I accept your hull. I tried to rent cabins at Snug Harbor this coming summer. They said they will be closed due to remodeling. Asked about getting a slip too - they said nope. You might want to inquire with them, it might alter your plans. It is good idea to be out on the west side of San Juan island though - i think that's where the tour boats head.
starcrafttom
Active member
Forrest, If you are using your own boat its pretty easy. I Hope you are going in the summer because thats the best time to see the orcas, we are talking about orcas right? This time of the year they are more likely to be in the sound and around the seattle area, but they move a lot and can be in tacoma today and port townsend tonight so its hard to find them. They will also run off shore past the straits for a week or more. In the summer they hang around the islands more feeding on salmon as the runs pass thru.
So heres my method for finding the orcas. All the local whale watching boats talk on one channel on the vhf. Last year it was 81 I think but that will change again this year. As they come and go with the tourist they will ask each other where the whales are and you can listen in, DON'T ask your self or they will clam up and go to cell phones or another channel. Sound easy right? No. They talk in code but its a easy one to figure out. They number the beaches, points, bays and other land marks. The good thing is that they slip up and if you know the land marks good you can get one number. Now the numbers run either from north to south or south to north depending on the year. If you can get two numbers , say 5 and 10, then you will know which way the numbers run. Say 5 is kilim point light house and 10 is turn point on stuart island then you can figure out where 8 is. This has worked fairly good for susan and I the last four years and we always (almost) find the whales.
Another good trick to use the first day while you are figuring out the radio and listening in from a good point, some where on the west side of sound juan, is to have a good set of bino's scanning the water. Your not looking for whales but whale boats. Most of the tour boats come out of victoria on vancouver island. So if you are sitting out there waiting and you see a bright yellow or red boats going like hell to the east south of you then you know the whales are on the south east corner of san juan near lopaz all the way up rosario strait. If they are headed north up Haro strait then they are west or north of the islands.
Now for how to act and stay out of trouble with the law and nazis, yes I said nazis. stay one hundred yard away from the whales and go slow if you are moving near them. quite often you can just sit where you are and wait for them to come to you. they will go under your boat and come see what you are sometimes.
Also if you know they are at lime kilim point and the tide is a flood and moving to you at mosquito pass then just wait for them to come to you.They will move in the direction of the tide most of the time but not always. don't get between the whales and another boat. most of the whale boats will be in a line so just fall in at the end of the line and enjoy the show.
I hope this helps because they are a joy to watch. We get on the roof to look at them because they can be all around you leaping and spy hopping. I really enjoy the show.
Now if you are talking about gray whales they will be showing up in the everett area soon. They come here to feed on shrimp every year. Feb to april is the best time I think. They are also fun to watch. Susan is always trying to get a tail shot of them but they know it and dont show their tails when she is around. if you are at the boat show bring a map and I can show you spot for both areas. Everyone should see them at least once and I will always go out of my way to see them.
So heres my method for finding the orcas. All the local whale watching boats talk on one channel on the vhf. Last year it was 81 I think but that will change again this year. As they come and go with the tourist they will ask each other where the whales are and you can listen in, DON'T ask your self or they will clam up and go to cell phones or another channel. Sound easy right? No. They talk in code but its a easy one to figure out. They number the beaches, points, bays and other land marks. The good thing is that they slip up and if you know the land marks good you can get one number. Now the numbers run either from north to south or south to north depending on the year. If you can get two numbers , say 5 and 10, then you will know which way the numbers run. Say 5 is kilim point light house and 10 is turn point on stuart island then you can figure out where 8 is. This has worked fairly good for susan and I the last four years and we always (almost) find the whales.
Another good trick to use the first day while you are figuring out the radio and listening in from a good point, some where on the west side of sound juan, is to have a good set of bino's scanning the water. Your not looking for whales but whale boats. Most of the tour boats come out of victoria on vancouver island. So if you are sitting out there waiting and you see a bright yellow or red boats going like hell to the east south of you then you know the whales are on the south east corner of san juan near lopaz all the way up rosario strait. If they are headed north up Haro strait then they are west or north of the islands.
Now for how to act and stay out of trouble with the law and nazis, yes I said nazis. stay one hundred yard away from the whales and go slow if you are moving near them. quite often you can just sit where you are and wait for them to come to you. they will go under your boat and come see what you are sometimes.
Also if you know they are at lime kilim point and the tide is a flood and moving to you at mosquito pass then just wait for them to come to you.They will move in the direction of the tide most of the time but not always. don't get between the whales and another boat. most of the whale boats will be in a line so just fall in at the end of the line and enjoy the show.
I hope this helps because they are a joy to watch. We get on the roof to look at them because they can be all around you leaping and spy hopping. I really enjoy the show.
Now if you are talking about gray whales they will be showing up in the everett area soon. They come here to feed on shrimp every year. Feb to april is the best time I think. They are also fun to watch. Susan is always trying to get a tail shot of them but they know it and dont show their tails when she is around. if you are at the boat show bring a map and I can show you spot for both areas. Everyone should see them at least once and I will always go out of my way to see them.
dogon dory
New member
Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author
Snug Harbor is a fun place. We stayed there a coupe of nights last year. Agreed the cabins could use a little renovation.
Watch out for state of tide when entering and keep well over to port side as the entrance rock extends a Looong way (as you will see at low tide!). We enjoyed watching the local whale watch catameran powing a double furrow of mud as he came in a low water.
Make sure you bring provisions as their is nothing much in the store to eat.
Very close to the whales most days in Summer.
Merv & Kathy
Watch out for state of tide when entering and keep well over to port side as the entrance rock extends a Looong way (as you will see at low tide!). We enjoyed watching the local whale watch catameran powing a double furrow of mud as he came in a low water.
Make sure you bring provisions as their is nothing much in the store to eat.
Very close to the whales most days in Summer.
Merv & Kathy
dogon dory":1emh8ctj said:...
Why not just read a book or rent a video about them and leave them alone? :cry
Interesting premise, DoD. I recently had the opportunity to visit with a whale. He swam up alongside Wild Blue, popped his head up, gave me this "Wasssup?" look. Who knew I could "channel" whale thoughts? 8) We visited for a bit, and he said, "Dude (obviously a California whale), as long as you people don't stick us with harpoons, we get a kick out of your antics. Do you have any idea how stupid some of you look and sound? We get more hoots and hollers than Brittany Spears walking into a pack of popparazzi (who knew they read the Inquirer???)... and for what? We're just swimming, eatin', and chillin'. You people crack me up!"
I appreciate an intelligent whale with a sense of humor.
If you stay on the tree-hugging, smarmy rap stuff, what's next - giving up your fossil fuel eating, green-house gas producing outboard??? It's an inconvenient truth that we share this earth (and the water) with some interesting creatures... and from the sounds of it, we enjoy watching each other.
Peace,
Jim B.
starcrafttom
Active member
Snug harbor looks nice and I plan to stay there one day but its not the best jump off point for whale watching because unless the whales are on the north end you have a long way to go to see them all in unprotected water. A better spot would be deer harbor tied up next to the whale watching boats. They have a shack there that books trips and if you act like you are going to take their tour they will give you a idea where the whales are. If they think you have your own boat they will not even talk to you. I would be hanging around when the morning boats come back and you can talk to folks about their trip and where the whales will be, Also if you can local the whales in the afternoon around 5pm you will have them to your selves after 6pm when all the tour boats head home. From dear harbor its a long run tothe east side but you are in side the whole way and it makes for a better ride. If you have to head west and south you just take mequito pass. if north and west its a short trip to stuart island. Its also a inside run to san juan channel if the whales are down south. So find out where they are and figure where they are going, check tides, and plan to be head of them.
Dog you had me going there for a while :wink:
Dog you had me going there for a while :wink:
starcrafttom
Active member
did you get out to see them??
Dogon Dory
I truly hope that you weren’t serious about your last comment. If so why do you even own a boat?.
I am sure there are other animals that you “cause to change direction” when motoring you boat to what ever view point or vista of your “moral choosing”. Hell what about the animals that were diverted when trailering your boat to the boat ramp. Oh ya there was a road involved. That two must have diverted something at some point. Okay I guess you should stay home and read a book. Oh wait the house you reside in. Made of trees I bet. I wonder what birds were dislodged in that? Well there is always a teepee. Opps scratch that, leather of animals. Well I guess the only moral thing to do is get of the planet, put earth into a glass bottle and live in mars.
….Oh wait what about the martian bacteria and their moral right to bake in the sun’s heat. I guess human being really screwed everthing up when we were born.
I realize that this I probably very offensive to you. And I try hard not to offend anyone but I seem to have offended some people by just being born and I don’t know how not to. I guess I could off, my self but that might offend god. If you prescribe to such ideas as I do. if I got this thread closed down I apologize to the author in advance.
Susan e
I truly hope that you weren’t serious about your last comment. If so why do you even own a boat?.
I am sure there are other animals that you “cause to change direction” when motoring you boat to what ever view point or vista of your “moral choosing”. Hell what about the animals that were diverted when trailering your boat to the boat ramp. Oh ya there was a road involved. That two must have diverted something at some point. Okay I guess you should stay home and read a book. Oh wait the house you reside in. Made of trees I bet. I wonder what birds were dislodged in that? Well there is always a teepee. Opps scratch that, leather of animals. Well I guess the only moral thing to do is get of the planet, put earth into a glass bottle and live in mars.
….Oh wait what about the martian bacteria and their moral right to bake in the sun’s heat. I guess human being really screwed everthing up when we were born.
I realize that this I probably very offensive to you. And I try hard not to offend anyone but I seem to have offended some people by just being born and I don’t know how not to. I guess I could off, my self but that might offend god. If you prescribe to such ideas as I do. if I got this thread closed down I apologize to the author in advance.
Susan e
Cutty Sark
New member
Is Dogon ever serious? Maybe when it comes to prop selection :lol:
Sark
Sark
tom&shan
New member
Susan E":1gs8fbo1 said:Dogon Dory
I truly hope that you weren’t serious about your last comment. If so why do you even own a boat?.
Susan e
starcrafttom":1gs8fbo1 said:Dog you had me going there for a while :wink:
Looks like Dog is 1 for 2 as far as the Elliott's go!
Hey - when are the Grey's back when in Season?
Cheers,
Tom
dogon dory
New member
Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author
dogon dory
New member
Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author
starcrafttom
Active member
I can not type and laugh that hard at the same time. :cry
Susan forgive me... :hug :hug2
Everyone ...she just called and ask if I thought dod was kidding or not, after she posted :shock: Now you all know the wraft that I suffer when I screw up.... if you really want to get her going ask her about the IRS .
Susan forgive me... :hug :hug2
Everyone ...she just called and ask if I thought dod was kidding or not, after she posted :shock: Now you all know the wraft that I suffer when I screw up.... if you really want to get her going ask her about the IRS .
starcrafttom
Active member
Tom about the grays.. I expcet to see them start showing up any time. I have not heard any reports yet but feb to may is always good. subscribe to the whale net work email and you should see when they show up. we like to go out and see them near langly and then pop in for lunch and some times a movie before heading back.
starcrafttom":gnml517i said:I can not type and laugh that hard at the same time. :cry
Susan forgive me... :hug :hug2
...
Tom, my friend, the couch is a cold, lonely place.