The Southern Resident Orcas of Puget Sound (J,K,L) face an uncertain future. Onboard the Henrietta our goal is to educate guests on issues affecting their environment, their food source, and all else that may lead to effective stewardship and conservation.
Our sea kayak venues respect this above all else.100% Biodiesel reduces Co2 emissions by up to 78%!
In the late 60's and early 70's a number of orcas were taken from the waters in and around the San Juan Islands, captured by marine parks while our eyes were trained upon the stars. While the orcas numbers have slowly rebounded, their fate is tenuous in light of a historically low food supply (salmon) and an ever increasing populous.
From the sea floor on up the food chain, the waters in and around Puget Sound remain some of the most highly polluted in the world.
As tour boat operators our goal is to set a example for responsible wildlife viewing. Following the Be Whale Wise guidelines is the first step. The guidelines set forth restrictions for marine mammal viewing which include; operating a minimum of 100 yards away from all marine mammals, 200 yards from all known seal and sea lion haulouts, staying 200 yards away from all National Marine Refuge sites.
In Momaday's quote on our home page he states, "Once in his life a man ought to concentrate his mind upon the remembered earth... He ought to imagine the creatures there."In looking at this, what was he really saying? Was he saying, "imagine earth without creatures"? While we understand the need for some guests to get up-close and personal, we encourage those that board the Henrietta to understand the environment and appreciate it from a respectable distance.
To see orcas in the wild, to see them swim in unison against a dramatic backdrop like the San Juan Islands, here their blows off in the distance, this is our goal onboard the Henrietta - learning through imagery, but not at the cost of the landscape.
To this end, please don't seek out operators who promote close proximity or guarantee whales!!
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