As I peered down the bluff, I saw the magnificent black-and-white beasts breach the water of the Salish Sea. The L-pod resident orcas were gliding past Henry Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. This sight reminded me why I was in the San Juans in the first place: to appreciate nature and do my part to protect it. I finally got to experience these natural beauties that I had heard oh-so-much about from the locals. The sea breeze flowed onto my face, and I appreciated the wonder of it all. Kayakers exclaimed in jubilation as they paddled after the orcas, awed as much as I was. My fellow conservation crew members, whom I’d only met a few short days before, stood idle, happy for a break in a long, hot day.
Every resident orca
Every resident orca