Baranof Island is the 2nd of the "ABC Islands." We will be heading to the "A" Island, Admiralty, for Brown Bears at Pack Creek in two days. We followed a pod of 10 Orcas for several hours this morning on our way to Baranof Warm Springs. It was rough and rainy but being in and among the Orcas made it all worthwhile and we even got to go in the hot tubs that night.
Baranof Harbor and the town which is small
The falls in Baranof Harbor
The sun tried hard to peek through the clouds
A working boat
Steller sea lions "Probably" safe from Transient Orcas
The Orcas often do tail lobs
Flukes (tail fins) of female Orcas tend to be flat
Whereas the flukes of male orcas tend to be curled
Note the wind and the rain (it doesn't bother the Orcas at all)
Some of the Orcas were "playing" (rolling on their backs and sides)
They often swim through the kelp
Interestingly, we've gotten reports (Ron LeValley) that the kelp is growing late this year. It usually becomes abundant in the spring but the abundance of Purple Sea Urchins (which eat kelp) due to the disappearance of starfish (which eat sea urchins) and lack of nutrients in the ocean are what has caused the low population of kelp this year.
They often travel fast and can cover 100 miles a day.
The male's dorsal fin can stand 6' high.
Often they will travel close to shore
Sometimes Resident Orcas will hunt close to shore, trapping fish between themselves and the shoreline
His dorsal fin curls to the left.
Often the dorsal fins are diagnostic with a curve one way or the other, a chunk missing, a color variation, even bullet holes from years ago when fishermen tried to scare them away from their nets
They often travel fast and can cover 100 miles a day.
The male's dorsal fin can stand 6' high.
Often they will travel close to shore
Sometimes Resident Orcas will hunt close to shore, trapping fish between themselves and the shoreline
His dorsal fin curls to the left.
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