Orca Observations

It hasn't even been one month yet, but lucky Juneauites were treated today to another good long glimpse of a pod of orcas swimming down the Gastineau Channel.  Their distinctive black-and-white coloring makes them easy to spot, even on a sunny day with rough water.  

Check out this video I shot with my iPhone.  The quality isn't the best, but it goes to show there's adventure around every corner in Juneau.

Did you know orcas are in the dolphin family and can travel fast - up to 30 mph?  Check out this National Geographic profile to learn more about this immediately recognizable species.

The Wildest Visitor

What is considered "once-in-a-lifetime" for most has become a common sight for many in Juneau, Alaska.  A pod of killer whales (orcas) visited the Gastineau Channel in Juneau last Friday afternoon (March 21, 2014).  They traveled north past the Juneau-Douglas Bridge, and about 45 minutes later, returned south since the waterway three miles north is too shallow.  What a wild way to spend the lunch break!

An orca surfaces underneath the Juneau-Douglas Bridge.  Notice the onlookers standing on the shores of Douglas Island.

The Trip in Which I Flail My Arms Like T-Rex

While in Washington State on vacation, I decided to take a bit of a road trip up north to a little city called Sequim (pronounced Skwim).  They say it's always sunny in Sequim, which was thankfully the case during my visit.  The city is also the Lavender Capital of North America, and you can smell its freshness in the air. 

What drew me to Sequim that day was not the lavender, but rather the Olympic Game Farm.  No, it's not a haven for retired athletes from past Olympic games.  It's home of the waving bears, a little tucked away gem where you can get face to face with wildlife.  And face to face is exactly what happened.

It took me weeks to regain my composure from my up-close-and-personal tour.  Still, I can't look at an American bison or a loaf of bread the same way again.  It was definitely a giggle-filled adventure of a lifetime!