Theo Kayaking With Harstine Island Orcas

Incoming 4th of July email from sister Michele and the Tacoma Trio, David, Theo and Ruby, at Harstine Island. The email included three instances of photo documentation. The explanatory text in the email...

On Saturday, we heard Orcas were headed toward Harstine. Theo convinced me to grab kayaks. We paddled out a ways and watched them across Pickering Passage. They were a bit south of us and all the way across toward the other shore. A few boats were close to them and then one came from the south way too fast and close and the whales, maybe 3 or 4, went under. We watched and waited for them to surface and then the biggest one did - right behind Theo and me!!! He saw it but I was too scared to move. It was so loud, and we got wet from the spray. I was shaking so bad thinking the others would also surface but none did. Later, another kayaker approached me on the beach and shared a photo he took off the video he had. He had his phone videoing the whole time, just waiting for them to come up. And a friend on shore shared the final pic, also from a video.

That would be Theo in the kayak in the top photo,

And the above would be the Orca surfacing a short distance from sister Michele and Theo.

The above is from the video shot from the Harstine Island shore.

I think it is rather rare for an Orca pod to be in the far south end of Puget Sound.

Though Orcas are also known as Killer Whales, there really are not any instances I have ever heard of where a killer whale manages to kill a human.

But, it is scary to find oneself in the midst of an Orca Pod. Such happened to me many years ago, whilst fishing with mom and dad near Cattle Point by San Juan Island. As we trolled for salmon suddenly Orcas appeared. At least a dozen, with a couple Orca calves.

The Orca pod surrounded us. Dad hit the brakes on the boat. The Orcas acted like they were checking us out. One got real close, maybe ten feet from the boat, looking like he was smiling at us. Mom reacted much like Michele, totally scared, with me and dad telling mom over and over again that they are harmless, they won't sink the boat.

I think of that Orca encounter every once in awhile. It happened decades before the norm became to always have a photo taking device on one's person. I do not remember ever taking an old-fashioned type camera along on one of the many fishing trips. I now wish I had.

If that Orca encounter with mom and dad happened now, I would be snapping multiple photos and video which likely would go viral once I put it on YouTube, with people finding mom amusing with her hysterical reaction to being surrounded by Orcas...