WWF’s Earth Hour Returns Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm

http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2010/WWFPresitem14885.html

Mount Rushmore, Las Vegas Strip, Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge and other US Landmarks to “turn out” for the planet at 8:30 pm on Saturday, March 27

Earth Hour 2010
On Saturday, March 27th at 8:30 pm local time join hundreds of millions of people around the world in calling for action on climate change.
WASHINGTON, DC, January 19, 2010 – World Wildlife Fund announced today that Earth Hour 2010 will take place on Saturday, March 27 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, with many of the nation’s most iconic landmarks dimming their lights for one hour in what is expected to be the largest call for action on climate change in history.

A study released in November 2009 by WWF and the insurance company Allianz SE warned that by mid-century, rising global sea levels caused by climate change could increase risks to more than $7 trillion in buildings, transportation infrastructure, and other assets in major U.S. coastal cities, including Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

“Climate change is real and it’s happening right now in the US, impacting our water resources, energy supplies, transportation, agriculture and health, putting our livelihoods and economic future at risk in every part of the country,” said WWF Climate Director Keya Chatterjee. “Earth Hour is a way for people across the US to join together with people from throughout the world to signal their concern about climate change and send a message about the urgent need for action.”

As stewards of our national parks, especially considering the challenges of climate change, we must be visible leaders to demonstrate commitment to energy and water conservation... and to use our parks to teach the public about climate change and the ways citizens can reduce their carbon footprints."

“We want children to think about how we all impact the environment in our daily lives and how each one of us can make a difference. Earth Hour provides a great opportunity to accomplish that.” said Joseph Schumacher, CEO of Goddard Systems, Inc., a national childcare franchise and national supporter of Earth Hour 2010. “As educators and as parents, we want to help children understand that how they care for and protect the earth will affect future generations”

Victoria Times Colonist Article and Another photo of J-47, First New Calf of 2010

Victoria Times Colonist Article and Another photo of J-47, First New Calf of 2010

http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Largest+year+baby+spotted+near+Juans/2410868/story.html

Largest new year baby spotted near San Juans
By Judith Lavoie, Times ColonistJanuary 6, 2010
The biggest new year baby in the area is making waves in Juan de Fuca Strait.

A slightly wrinkled J Pod killer whale calf was spotted near San Juan Island Jan. 3 and is believed to have been born within the previous 48 hours.

"It still had its fetal folds, so it was probably a New Year's baby," said Ken Balcomb, executive director of the Center for Whale Research, based in Friday Harbor, Wash.

The birth is the sixth over the last year for the three endangered southern resident killer whale pods, bringing the total number of animals to 88.

However, the moment of truth will come in late spring when researchers do a head count to see which whales made it through the winter. About 50 per cent of killer whale calves die within the first year.

Survival is usually tied to the availability of salmon and particularly the large chinook salmon, the preferred food for killer whales. The southern residents are also affected by pollution and noise from marine traffic.

Four of the six recent births have been in J Pod, the group that tends to stay around Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound for most of the year. L and K Pods wander farther afield.

"If this area is so bad for them [because of shrinking salmon runs and pollution], you have to wonder why they are doing so well,"

Balcomb said.

A nagging worry about the latest birth is that the mother, J35 -- also known as Tahlequah -- is only 12. Usually killer whales have their first calf in their mid to late teens.

There was another recent pre-teen birth among the threatened northern resident killer whales, but it is unusual, Balcomb said.

However, family help should be immediately available for the young mom. The calf's aunt gave birth recently and the grandmother is an active member of the pod.

"It's a very productive little matriline," Balcomb said.

James Dale, executive director of Pacific Whale Watch Association, also based in Friday Harbor, said bringing up babies is usually a pod effort.

"It is pretty amazing. I think we humans forget they don't come out of the womb ready to go," he said.

Language, socialization and salmon-catching techniques are among lessons that have to be taught to young orcas, Dale said.

"Then you have to think about what even the smallest animal in the pod has to do. They travel up to 150 kilometres a day," he said.

The lowest population recorded for the three pods was 71 in 1973 and 1976, following decades of shootings and captures. The recent high was 1996 when there were 97 southern residents.

Historically, the three pods had about 120 members.

jlavoie@tc.canwest.com

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

Another New Calf!!! J-47 born to J-35 Tahlequah

Another New Calf!!! J-47 born to J-35 Tahlequah

The Center for Whale Research http://www.whaleresearch.com/ on San Juan Island, Washington, has reported that another New Killer Whale Calf has been born to J-pod, one of the three families that make up the Southern Resident Killer Whale population that spend much of the year feeding on Salmon in Georgia Strait near Vancouver and Juan de Fuca and Haro Straits near Victoria.

Great photographs and information available from Ken Balcomb, who has been researching, photographing and identifying these Orca for over 30 years:

Center for Whale Research
P.O. Box 1577
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-5835
Ken Balcomb
Email: orcasurv@rockisland.com

Jeff Hogan, Executive Director of Killer Whale Tales http://killerwhaletales.org/orca-calf-2010.html took the first photos of new Killer Whale Calf on January 3, 2010.

Jeff posted on Killer Whale Tales website:
"J35, a 12 year old, had given birth sometime recently to a brand new baby, J47! First spotted by Mark Sears, this marks the first new orca calf born in 2010 and the first time that an orca that young had given birth in this wild population. It also marks another first in that both of J35’s direct family members, her mom J17 and her sister J28 also gave birth within in the last year as well."

Jeff does a fantastic job educating school children about the connection between their choices as consumers and the health of the Marine Environment. That is a link that we would all do well to remember.

Contact Info:
Killer Whale Tales PO Box 16453 Seattle, WA 98116
Office Phone: 206-932-ORCA (6722)
E-mail: admin@killerwhaletales.org

WELCOME TO 2010!!! Thursday, January 7, 2010

WELCOME TO 2010!!! Thursday, January 7, 2010

NATURE

We don't know about you, but our reaction to movies like "Avatar" is that "Yes, they are great achievements of Computer Science and they tell a message that we need to heed... But we are so lucky here to have the opportunity to see REAL images, hear REAL sounds and have REAL experiences that are equal to or even more amazing than anything that we might try to conjure up through computer-enhanced special effects."

At Five Star Whale Watching we have a hopeful vision that relies on seeking out and inciting the best of Human intentions and will. We need to tap into that to continue to encourage the repairing of our damaged "Environmental, Ecological and Spiritual Infra-structure" (Not only the choices we make in consuming, but how we collectively teach our children and grandchildren to view Nature) as that is every bit as much in need of help as is the "Physical Infra-structure" of highways, bridges, water systems, and other utilities.

Join us a we explore and marvel at Nature.

Education and Research, Naturally.

Merry Christmas from everyone at

Five Star Whale Watching!!

New Calf In J-Pod! Wed Nov 11th, 2009.

GREAT NEWS - J pod has a new calf! J46 was first observed off San Juan Island today by Jeanne Hyde & Monika Wieland, then they headed to Victoria, to swim by for Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research so he could see the new calf and confirm it! The calf was seen with 16 year old J28 - it always takes a few sightings to confirm the mother, but if it is J28's, it will be her first calf.

Five Star 2009 Season Highlights!

The crazy Five Star staff:)

Here are a few images showing just a few of the highlights of the 2009 Season. It was tough to choose from all the incredible images but here are some I chose as a sample of one of the most incredible whale watching seasons on record.

On behalf of every one at Five Star Whale Watching I would like to thank all our many passengers who came out on the water with Five Star this season, we hope to see you again in the future.

I would also like to thank all the Five Star crew for the incredible job they did this season!

Enjoy your winter and we will see everyone again soon at the start of the next season in March 2010:)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2009, More Photos from Last Cruise of the 2009 Season

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2009, More Photos from Last Cruise of the 2009 Season

...And WHAT A CRUISE IT WAS!!!

Dall's Porpoise playfully bow-riding, Steller's and California Sea Lions massed on every conceivable outcropping of Race Rocks Marine Protected Area, and Transient "Marine-Mammal-Eating" Killer Whales doing what "Marine-Mammal-Eating" creatures do. i.e. Eating Marine Mammals, in this case a Steller Sea Lion!

Look at these photos closely and you will see a Pectoral Flipper of a Steller Sea Lion reaching up out of the water, directly in front of a charging Transient Killer Whale. You can even see the claws of the Sea Lion above the water!

And to think that two hours prior to heading out we did not know for certain if we would be able to head out because of the strong winds and relatively challenging sea conditions.

What a remarkable way to end our 2009 Sesaon!!

Final trip of the season with the T49's and T103! Oct 31st, 2009.

Ron Bates, MMRG, and our crazy naturalists:) Ron is known as the "Whale Guru" or "Commodore Ron". He is responsible for organizing the spotting network for the Pacific Whale Watching fleet and does an incredible job. Thanks Ron for all your hard work this year!

Calf with prey in its mouth!

Above & below, are pictures of Ron Bates, an award winning Marine mammal Researcher that comes out with Five Star on almost every trip and we are lucky to have him! Ron is also responsible for many of the pictures found on this blog and does an amazing job:)

Here are more pictures from our final tour of the 2009 season. We were lucky to find the T49's and T103 near Race Rocks this afternoon and we had an incredible experience as can be seen from the pictures above. What a way to finish the season!

Happy Halloween brings Transient Orcas! Final trip of the Season today:) Oct 31, 2009

Delighted passengers at the end of our wonderful final tour of 2009!

An almost full moon on Halloween, spooky:0

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


We set out this afternoon at 2.00pm on the final tour of the 2009 season, not knowing what an adventure awaited! No reports of any whale sightings had been made so far, despite other boats being out on the water. However, we headed out confident that we would find our passengers some spectacular Marine Life and we did just that.

Our first encounter not long after leaving the harbour, was with a young Harbor Seal Pup feeding on a large bait ball. We could see the large ball of schooling fish glittering near the surface as it went by the boat and hundreds of sea birds gorging themselves. Nearby we saw another bait ball and here we encountered a young Steller Sealion, a nice start to the trip.

Our next encounter was with Dall's Porpoise that were eager to play in the bow wave of our boat, much to the delight of our passengers. It is amazing to look down to your feet whilst stood on the bow of our High Speed Catamarans and see these amazing Cetaceans swimming directly below:)

We then ventured over to Race Rocks Marine Protected Area and just as we got there we spotted a number of blows and dorsal fins including a very large dorsal fin. Amazingly we had found the T49's along with a large male Transient Orca, T103:) We watched in awe as these apex predator made a kill and then began to feed. A young calf could actually be seen with the remains of the kill in the mouth, breathtaking! We continued to sit with our engines off as the T49's and T103 went back and forth around Race Rocks.

After watching the Transient Orcas head West we then headed to Race Rocks to show our guests the Harbor Seals, plus Steller and California Sealions that stay here throughout the winter. The noise of undreds of Pinnipeds was almost deafening and the smell over powering and something you need to experience to understand.

And so ended our final trip of the 2009 season and what a way to end another incredible season with one of the best trips of the year. As I went back through my records I realized my first Orca encounter of the season was with the T49's so how fitting that the final one of the season would also be with the T49's. Proof once again that Nature is both marvelous and intoxicating! For me, there could not have been a better Halloween treat:)

More pictures from todays Humpback Encounter taken by Ron Bates. Oct 22nd, 2009.

Here are more images from todays tour taken by Ron Bates, MMRG.

Humpback Whales, Porpoise and Sealions! Oct 22nd, 2009.

Here are a few images from an incredible Humpback Whale encounter off Victoria on Oct 22nd, 2009. We headed out this morning at 9.30am and shortly after departing the harbour came across over 200 Harbor Porpoise feeding at Constance Bank. We then traveled a little furher into the Strait and our Eagle Eyed Captain, Trev, sighted the first Humpback about 3 miles East of Race Rocks. This is the full grown adult female Humpback Whale we believe is the mother of the 3 year old known as "Split Fin" or Bart". After watching the Humpback for a while we left to go towards Race Rocks as anoter boat arrived on scene.

At Race Rocks we saw several hundred California and Steller Sealions both in the water and on the rocks. We then headed back towards Constance Bank and came across a large group of very playful Dall's Porpoise who immediately started playing in the bow wave of our boat. The Dall's Porpoise seem to really enjoy playing in the bow wave created by the twin hulls of our Expedition Catamarans. After another boat came over we left the Dall's and continued on our way.

We spotted a number of Steller Sealions playing in the water and stopped to investigate. As we were watching the Sealions check out our boat suddenly the Humpback we had found earlier surfaced nearby and this time "Split Fin" was also there. The 2 Humpback Whales were trumpeting and splashing the water with their tales at two Sealions that were following closely. We then saw a terrific Cartwheel by the large Humpback Whale. "Split Fin" was also being very playful and was seen waving his large Pectoral Fin in the air. We were just south west of Constance Bank when we encountered these two Humpback Whales and it is amazing these wonderful encounters happen so close to Victoria!

The weather was cool and crisp, but the rain held off this morning and provided another unforgettable experience for our passenger and crew:)

River Otters, Pelicans & Humpback Whale Picture by Ron Bates. Oct 15th, 2009.

Here are more images from todays incredible tour taken by Ron Bates, MMRG.

Humpback Whales, Dall's Porpoise, Pelican, River Otters and more! Oct 15th, 2009.

We headed out this afternoon and came across 3 Humpback Whales between Race Rocks and Constance Bank. Two large female Humpback Whales were encountered 2 miles South East of Race Rocks and were being harassed by a Steller Sealion. One of the Humpback made a very dramatic Cartwheel as the Humpback tried to shake off the Sealion. We also saw a number of tail splashing and tail flicks as these large Baleen Whales tried to get rid of their pesky tormentor! We then moved on towards Constance bank where we encountered the 3 year old Humpback that has been given various nicknames, "Split Fin", "Bart", "Cleaver". One of the Humpback Whales we had encountered earlier is the Mother of "Split Fin" and it is so nice to see that these mothers are imprinting on their young that the Strait of Juan De Fuca is a great place to find food. "Split Fin" obviously knows this and has been hanging in the water off Victoria for almost two months now and has provided some very dramatic encounters!

Earlier in our tour we had also come across 2 Pelican's at Church Rock, a rare but impressive sight. During our tour we also saw River Otters right at the dock, a pair of Bald Eagles, several Harbor Seals both on rocks and in the water, Hundreds of Steller & California Sealions at Race Rocks and another amazing Dall's Porpoise encounter. It was a wonderful day to be on the water and marvel at the diversity of wildlife that can be found so close to Victoria:)