The Whale Museum posts whale-related news on a regular basis.

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Western Prince Whale Watching & Wildlife Tours one of the first in the San Juan Islands to adopt Biodiesel
March 5, 2004

In 1986, Western Prince Whale Watching & Wildlife Tours was the first company from the San Juan Islands to share the wonder of Orca whales with the public. In 2004, they will become one of the first whale watching companies on San Juan Island to exclusively use eco-friendly Biodiesel fuel.

Ivan and Jacquelyn Reiff, owners of Western Prince, Inc., recently announced their decision to use Biodiesel B20 blend. The Reiffs stated, "We feel that it is our duty to help protect the magnificent environment in which we operate. We are happy to be a leader in adopting the use of this alternative fuel."

Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oil, making it a truly renewable resource. The B20 blend reduces unburned hydrocarbons (cause of smog& ozone) by 21%, particulate matter (a factor in respiratory disease) by 10%, carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) by 16%, and carbon monoxide (a deadly toxin) by 11%. In addition, the use of Biodiesel B20 reduces the foul smelling exhaust fumes commonly associated with diesel engines.

Ivan, the U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain of the Western Prince II, said, "We are proud of our company’s record of respecting the whales and their environment while educating the public during over 2500 wildlife cruises. While the cost of biodiesel is significantly higher for a small-scale company like ours, it is a necessary next step in being good stewards of our marine ecosystem."

Jacquelyn, a certified teacher, adds, "Our entire staff enjoys sharing their knowledge and insight with our passengers. This will be one more piece of environmental information to pass along both verbally and through example."

The Reiffs hope that those who appreciate the beauty and diversity of the marine environment in the Pacific Northwest will join them this year for a memorable and educational whale watching and wildlife tour. Detailed facts about biodiesel fuel are available at www.biodiesel.org.

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'I wish I could be a whale,' whispers a wistful child, wiping back tears.

Gazing at giants
Watching whales builds cetacean appreciation

By Angelina Di Fazio

Eighteen tourists from New York to Florida prepare to board Western Prince II for an afternoon of whale watching off San Juan Island. Captain Bob VanLeuven (co-owner with wife Jean) of Western Prince Cruises, is operating for his 14th season. Mary Getten, an experienced naturalist, is our tour guide.

"We've come to see the Orcas," most say when asked why they came, and none will be disappointed.

Leaving the Port of Friday Harbor, we are a party of strangers including babies, elderly couples, honeymooners and families, filled with expectation, hoping to spot an Orca whale. We head north up San Juan Channel while Purser Joni Cameron handed out binoculars and blankets. Before long before Getten calls out, "bustard at 6 o'clock." We rush to look. Then we spot bald eagles. Getten says San Juan County shelters the largest number of bald eagles in the continental United States.

We view the barren south side of Spieden Channel, scraped down to bedrock by glacial movement. Harbor seals are basking on a rocky outcropping just past Henry Island. We head up through Mosquito Pass into Haro Strait, passing a Northern Sea Lion weighing over 2,000 pounds. He looks hungry. Vancouver Island, B.C. is on our starboard side and the stunning Olympic Mountain range is dead ahead.

Getten, coordinator of Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and member of Islands Oil Spill Association and Wolf Hollow Wildlife Center, provides informative and fascinating glimpses into the creatures living nearby. She shares her vast knowledge about resident pods, creating a cozy sense of intimacy between cetaceans and humans. But while she talks, she is looking for something. Then she spots J-pod, resident whales at 11 o'clock.

We are immediately blessed with the sight of baby whales breaching. They turn cartwheels and flip their tails, like children playing. If one makes a move, the other follows. Barriers between strangers melt away in the awesome presence of whales. We become as wondrous children, made small in the awesome presence of these masterful creatures.

Babies breach at 10 o'clock. They look like they are being squirted out of the water, tails slapping as they come down. Now that we found the whales, many other boats rush to join us, but all respect the 100-yard limit imposed to protect whales. Just to make sure, a Soundwatch educational outreach vessel sponsored by The Whale Museum is present, ready to caution operators if they move in too close to the whales.

Getten cries out in delight as we near Eagle Point on the southwest side of San Juan Island. She has spotted Grandma, the oldest female, possibly born in 1911, and the matriarch of the pod with her son Ruffles. We rush forward pointing cameras and binoculars and then forget to use them. We just stand and watch them and sigh with pleasure. We are silent as dozens of active Orcas leap in front of us. We are captivated by their marvelous movements.

Then something special happens - a boatload of strangers became a group bonded by these rare glimpses of whales.

"It's been a tough winter for the pod," Getten tells us. "One of the big males died and there were two still-born calves, and now there are no new calves this year." A J teen, about 21-years old, appears with a 3-year-old calf whose mother disappeared. We watch whales foraging in circles, chasing fish. They make rapid direction changes to herd fish together. Leaving other boats behind us, we speed up to catch up with Grandma and Ruffles.

"Marvelous," says London, an enthralled visitor from England. "I feel like we are visiting a family."

"Such a rare privilege," says Ohio. "It feels holy, like being in church."

Continuing down the west side of the island, we cruise parallel to South Beach when a female Orcas appear off starboard accompanied by younger whales, jumping like yo-yos. Ruffles, named for his wavy dorsal fin is still fishing with Granny.

"I like seeing them in their natural habitat, it's different from Sea World," says Kansas City. Next a whole family comes up together, leaping, diving, twisting in mid-air. The display impresses the crew. I look back at the captain. He's grinning ear-to-ear. Even after 3,000 whale watch cruises, he says his pleasure never diminishes.

Rounding Cattle Point, we head back to the Port of Friday Harbor. No one wants to return. "It was great, says Miami Beach, "I love being out with these huge gorgeous creatures. "Others praise Getten for her informative and lively commentary. "She creates a sense of intimacy with the whales," enthuses New Jersey.

"I wish I could be a whale," whispers a wistful child, wiping back tears. Watching whales leaves a lasting effect like touching greatness, often igniting a lifelong love and appreciation for them. Some say we should leave the orcas to live and play in peace, but being up close and personal with an orca pod is to make a bridge between worlds. How splendid they are in their natural habitat, where we are only visitors. Perhaps whales have something to teach us, perhaps they teach us to be, well, more human.

We are back in port. Everyone is smiling, shaking hands, reluctant to leave. For visitors to these islands, it may be their once-in-a-lifetime chance to commune with whales.

Printed by permission of the Journal of the San Juans, copyright 1999
©1999 Leeming Communications Co.

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Local Author Talks To Whales

Have you ever wondered what our whales think about boats, life, love and pollution? Now you can find out. Mary J. Getten, local author, naturalist and animal communicator has just released her new book Communicating with Orcas: The Whales’ Perspective.

Getten’s interest in marine mammals began in 1987 when she was a volunteer at the Marine Mammal Center, a hospital for seals and sea lions in Sausalito, CA. After four years there, she moved to Orcas Island and was soon involved with the marine mammals here. Getten worked as a naturalist on whale-watch boats in the San Juans for ten years (over seven years aboard the Western Prince II) and spent thousands of hours observing and interacting with the resident orcas of this area. During that time she was also a coordinator of the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network and on staff at Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Getten took her first class in animal communication in 1988, and after many years of study, she opened her practice as a telepathic animal communicator in 1996. Now Getten devotes all her time to working with clients throughout the world to solve problems and create more harmony in their relationships with their pets. She also teaches "How to Communicate with Animals", "Reconnecting with Nature" and "Flower Essences for Animals" workshops.

Communicating with Orcas is a mix of natural history, true accounts of whale encounters in the wild, and the inside view on orca life through telepathic interviews. Getten and another communicator, spent more than a year interviewing Granny and Ruffles from J pod, asking them about every aspect of their lives. According to Getten, they shared information about family, friends, boats, sex, pollution, death and spirituality. Four captive whales; Lolita, Yaka, Vigga and Keiko, also present their views on life. Getten’s says her conversations with Keiko continue to this day.

Excerpts from Communicating with Orcas: The Whales’ Perspective are posted on MaryGetten.com. Books can be ordered directly from the author by calling 360.376.7606, through amazon.com or locally at the Whale Museum and Harbor Bookstore.

Getten is also the author of The Orca Pocket Guide, published by EZ Nature Books in 1996 and a contributing author to Whale Tales, volumes one and two, by Peter Fromm and Animal Voices by Dawn.

Reprinted with permission of the San Juan Islander, November 26, 2002