KILLERS

if you don't spend much time on or near the water, you wouldn't know that killer whales are a relatively common sight in our local waters. (I say "relatively" because old-timers here tell me they used to be much more common.) In any case, there are several families of "resident," as opposed to "transient," orcas who travel all year throughout the Strait of Georgia. They grace us with their presence, locally, sometimes several times over the course of a season.

Although there's probably nothing like the sight of a dorsal fin to stop the heart of the average boater, there's also some protocol when it comes to observing these creatures in what is, after all, their natural environment. Here are some guidelines to follow if you find yourself sharing a piece of the Pacific with these magnificent orcas:

1. Avoid sudden changes in your boat speed or direction, and for heaven's sake, SLOW DOWN.
2. Try to stay off to the side or behind the pod in your boat; don't interfere with their normal movements.
3. Don't dive in their vicinity - their movements are unpredictable, and no one is really sure what their interaction with humans in the water might be.
4. If you do come within 100 feet, put your motor in neutral until they have passed you.
5. If you are in a small boat, be aware that breaching, lobtailing and flipper-slapping could, quite literally, "rock the boat." If you have small children aboard, make sure they have life jackets on, and have them sit still. It could be an opportunity of a lifetime for them!
6. Put away the fishing gear, get out the binoculars and cameras and have
a wonderful visit!

Finally, if you do see killer whales anywhere in this area, try to make note of as much detail as possible - how many are there, what sizes, what direction are they going, etc., and the day and time of your observations.

Then call The Marine Mammal Research Group, a joint project of UVic and UBC. They can be reached at 1-800-665-5939, and would love to hear anything you can tell them about the appearance and behavior of these resident orcas.