Observing The Marine Life When Boating
By Valerie Giles, Fri Dec 9th

"Whether you boat on fresh water or on the ocean, there isa lot of marine life to observe and appreciate. We boat in thePacific Northwest off the west coast around the islands andstraits of the Pacific Ocean. The sea life here is exceptional.Following are some of our wonderful experiences."

One of the most powerful sights is that of large pods of Orcawhales, or Killer whales as they are often referred to, as theymigrate off the coast. Sometimes there can be several in thesepods including mother whales and their babies. Orca whales arequite beautiful to see. Their black and white bodies glisten inthe sunlight each time they appear near the water surface or doa breach jump. Usually the babies follow their mothers. It isquite possible to watch them for hours without getting tired.

Boaters must be careful and remain a respectable distance fromthe whales, as most whales are endangered. You do not want tointerfere with their normal migration routes and movements. Itis possible to see Orca whales up close in captivity, and theyare splendid animals. But when you can actually see them intheir normal environment in the ocean, it is magnificent. Howfortunate we are to be able to go boating for a few days andhave them entertain us along the way.

Another sea mammal that I always enjoy watching is the dolphinor the porpoise. They too can be found off the west coast. Thesemammals are so sleek and they can swim at very fast speeds. Asthey jump and slice through the surface of the water they arequite entertaining. Most people have seen dolphins in action atthe various aquariums around the world. Well they do the same inthe wild. They make me laugh. I think that they actuallyenjoy an audience!

Living in the Pacific North West, we are very aware of thesalmon industry. When boating, there are many small fishingboats out with their nets during the fisheries openings for thevarious kinds of salmon. It is fun to watch them jump. Seals arealso very good fishermen. You can be sure that when the salmonare plentiful around the mouths of the large rivers, you willsee a lot of seals. They love to fish for salmon, much to thechagrin of the commercial fishermen. They can be seen swimmingthrough the waters, or sunning themselves on large logs or rockyoutcroppings along the shoreline. The bark of a seal is loud andcomical to hear and they are another creature that can entertainwest coast boaters.

When the salmon are running, you will find another fisherman,one with wings. There are many Bald Eagles on the west coast andthey also enjoy a good salmon dinner. These are very majesticbirds. Their soaring overhead is something to be marveled at.The black and white features really stand out against the sky asthey glide and then swoop down for a fish.

Sea otters can sometimes be seen around large beds of kelp. Inparticular I have seen many when boating in our Bayliner, offthe coastline from British Columbia to California. These seacreatures are very timid, so you must give them space. They loveto float on their backs and eat sea urchins or play in thewater, rolling over and over. Often you can see them playing inpairs. Sea otters are my husband’s favorite sea mammals. Heloves to watch them play. They really are very cute. If you havewatched them, I’m sure you will agree.

As well as these mammals, the coast offers wonderful creaturesthat attached themselves to the rocks and driftwood or coral.Sea anemones are absolutely beautiful, as are the many coloredstarfish. Anenomes are found in white, pale green and soft pinkswith large fluffy plumes. Starfish are found in ranges of brightorange to deep purple. They can be very tiny and fragile or verylarge. Some measure several inches across. Sea cucumbers,barnacles, sand dollars, oysters,

mussels and crabs are allfound along the coastline. I love to walk on docks at marinaswhen the tide is out and see some of these shell fish in tinypools of water. You can often get up quite close to see thembetter.

All in all we are very fortunate in this area to be able to seeso many creatures. Many of which are not seen by most peoplearound the world. They enhance our environment and our boatingexperiences. It is important that we remember to respect all ofthese creatures in their natural environments, so as not tointerfere with nature’s course.

About the author:Valerie Giles owns and operates Boats, Anchors and Morehttp://www.boats-anchors-and-more.com a boating resourcesite featuring boat accessories, fishing lure manufacturers andinflatable boats. Everything you need for the boating season.The accompanying article is copyrighted. It may be reproducedonly if the hyperlinks here are left intact.