Sunday, February 15, 2015

Orca Song Summer 2014



I actually had a lousy summer of 2014 getting whale-sound recordings, but I managed to record these online at the Lime Kiln Lighthouse hydrophone.

You can listen to it yourself here. It's truly a special thing to have on when the whales are in the vicinity.

Highlights from 'Orca: The Killer Whale'



A collection of, um, classic scenes from the 1979 Dino deLaurentis 'Jaws' ripoff, including the orca's fatal attack on a shark, its outraged roar after bonehead Richard Harris kills its wife and unborn child, and its attack on a hapless Bo Derek.

Jim Cramer's Advice to SeaWorld: 'Free Willy!'



From CNBC: It's the 'Blackfish Effect.'

Sea World Roundtable: Closing Remarks Take an Emotional Turn



An excerpt from the June 5, 2014 discussion: "What Sea World and 'Blackfish' Mean to San Diego", focusing on orca captivity.

Sea World Roundtable: Selling the Spectacle of Captivity is the Key



An excerpt from the June 5, 2014 discussion: "What Sea World and 'Blackfish' Mean to San Diego", focusing on orca captivity.

Sea World Roundtable: Dorsal-Fin Explanation is 'Misleading,' Vet Admits



An excerpt from the June 5, 2014 discussion: "What Sea World and 'Blackfish' Mean to San Diego", focusing on orca captivity.

Sea World Roundtable: 50 Research Papers in 50 Years is 'Pathetic'



An excerpt from the June 5, 2014 discussion: "What Sea World and 'Blackfish' Mean to San Diego", focusing on orca captivity.

Sea World Roundtable: Does a Visit to the Park Really Educate Children?



An excerpt from the June 5, 2014 discussion: "What Sea World and 'Blackfish' Mean to San Diego", focusing on orca captivity.

Sea World Roundtable: Are There Negative Health Consequences for Orcas in Captivity?



An excerpt from the June 5, 2014 discussion: "What Sea World and 'Blackfish' Mean to San Diego", focusing on orca captivity.

The Truth About SeaWorld: What You See and Hear During a Typical Visit to Orlando



A visit to SeaWorld Orlando: Watching Tilikum floating in place, orcas performing tricks, and guides explaining what you can do to help orcas in the wild. It's lame advice.

Lolita at the Miami Seaquarium



This is a typical performance for Lolita, the last surviving Puget Sound killer whale in captivity, at her cramped pool in Miami.

Camp Orca: A Whale Encounter




Another early attempt at recording the encounters on video. I lead a group of girl campers on a kayaking trip every summer, and this was what their meeting with a pod of orcas was like. Pretty shaky camera work, unfortunately.

Orcas in the San Juans, July 2013




This was my first attempt to shoot video while kayaking and whale watching, with decidedly mixed results. However, this footage does include my encounter with the three L-pod whales who were hanging out in the False Bay area for several weeks, somewhat mysteriously, that summer; one of them, L-79 (Skana), died a few months later.

Orca Song 2013: Johnstone Strait Edition



These were taken during a camping stay at Kaikash Creek, south of Telegraph Cove, B.C.

Orca Song June 2013



That's Granny, aka J2, draping herself in kelp in that still.

Orca Song August 2012



In fact, we saw a LOT of orcas that summer. Thus the double videos.

Orca Song June 2012



Had some terrific viewing and audio sessions this summer.

Orca Song 2011



This was the summer I upped my photographic game by switching from a Pentax to a Nikon D300, which is what I still use.

Humpbacks and Their Songs: Maui 2011




I'm including this because it provides a useful contrast in whale sounds. Humpbacks, as you can hear, sing in a chorus -- and they repeat the same song each season. They do not appear to converse in the distinct way that orcas do.

Orca Summer 2010, Final Edit



We wound up seeing a lot of orcas this summer too; thus the double videos.

Orca Song 2010



This contains some shots taken in 2009.

Orca Summer, August 2008



We saw a lot of whales this summer -- thus, two videos.

Orca Song 2008



Started figuring out how to reduce the unwanted sounds in my hydrophone recordings.

Johnston Strait Orcas: August 2006



Thanks to Mike Naumann-Montana for the help with this one. He was my pilot in the kayak while I sat in front and took photos.


Orca Song 2006





Mostly shot in the summers of 2005 and 2006 in Haro Strait.

Welcome to 'Of Orcas and Men'

Lolita's eye.


Welcome to my new blog, 'Of Orcas and Men,' which is going to be all about my newest book, Of Orcas and Men: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us, scheduled to be on your bookstore shelves June 30, 2015.

I'll be posting supplementary material here:

-- Photos, including full-color versions of the black-and-white photos found in the book, as well as a number of other photos that haven't been published before.

-- Videos, including the 'Orca Song' slide shows I have made perennially, blending photos with the sounds I've recorded on my hydrophone.

-- Sound files, mostly featuring the sounds created by Southern Resident killer whales. Eventually, I hope to create a catalog of Southern Resident sounds.

Enjoy!