In Honor of Earth Day, we will be donating 25% of our proceeds from our trip this Saturday April 24th to Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group. Come join us this Saturday!!

The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) is a nonprofit organization formed in 1990 to engage communities in habitat restoration and watershed stewardship in order to enhance salmon populations. As a non-governmental organization, they have unique cooperative relationships with local landowners, conservation groups, government agencies and tribes. Their regional boundaries include not only the Skagit River watershed, but also the Samish River and the watersheds of the San Juan Islands and northern Whidbey Island. 

Green Your Daily Routine [WED]      Tid bits that will help our environment

• Plant a tree! Help achieve UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign target of planting seven billion trees – one for every person on the planet – by the end of this year! Three billion are planted. Five billion are pledged. On every continent in the world trees can be planted in June, so start your efforts on WED.
• Find needy homes or charitable organizations for things that you no longer need or want rather than throwing it away.

DAILY ROUTINE:

AT HOME

• It would seem to go without saying, but many of us forget that we can save water in simple ways like not letting the tap run while shaving, washing your face, or brushing your teeth.
• Insulating your water heater will help save valuable energy, and you can go the extra mile by installing showerheads with a low flow in your bathrooms for bathing purposes to help save water. You can also put a timer on your heaters to save power.
• Using an electric razor or hand razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors goes a long way to cutting back on waste. And plant a tree.
• Use towels for drying your face and hands instead of tissues that are used and thrown away. Also, hang your towels to dry so that they can be reused several times. You are after all clean when you use them!
• Juice or yoghurt lovers can do their bit by buying juice in concentrates and yoghurt in reusable containers instead of single serving packages.
• Many of us like to leaf through the paper as we munch on breakfast, but consider reading the dailies in communal spaces like the office or coffee shops. However, if you prefer to have your own copy, make sure you recycle!
• When packing your lunch, opt for reusable containers for food storage instead of wrapping the food with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
• As you leave the house, don’t forget to switch off all the lights and appliances at the wall unit (if you have this feature) and unplug chargers as they continue to consume even if they are not charging; saving energy helps reduce air pollution.

GETTING TO WORK:

• Don’t go anywhere without your cloth bag so you can just say no to plastic whenever you shop.
• Radical as it may seem, in today’s “the easier the better” society, the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is by avoiding driving altogether. Power down and Instead try biking, walking, carpooling, public transport or an occasional telecommute.
• If you have no other choice than to drive to work, look for the most fuel- efficient car model for your next purchase and keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure.
• If you’re one of the lucky few blessed with clear stretches of road on your way to work, use cruise control, as it saves fuel and also helps you maintain a constant speed.
• If you’re among the majority of drivers who spend their mornings stuck in traffic, consider turning your engine off if you will be idling for long periods of time. And plant a tree.
• For those who suffer from road rage, remember that aggressive driving lowers your mileage, so if you want to save on fuel and save the planet while you’re at it, accelerate gradually– something to keep that in mind the next time that bad driver cuts you off! Just count to 10 and say the planet needs me!

AT WORK:

• Do you have a morning hot drink routine? Using a washable mug is an environmentally-friendly alternative to non-biodegradable styrofoam or plastic cups.
• Leave a cup and reusable bottle for water at work to eliminate buying drinks, which get served in plastic cups, or bottled water. 80% of plastic bottles are recyclable but only 20% are actually recycled.
• When you need a pad for lists and messages, turn over an old document and write on the back of that instead.
• If there isn’t an office recycling system, start one yourself! Recycling our trash actually contributes to reducing global warming emissions. And it is estimated that 75% of what is thrown in the trash could actually be recycled, though currently only 25% is.
• When you must have a paper copy, make sure you default your printer option to use both sides. This is an easy tree-saver!
• Most computer accessories like ink cartridges and CDs and DVDs are made of materials that could be reused. Computer cords and speakers are fairly standardized, meaning they can be used for a variety of computer models and makes.
• Lower your office’s carbon footprint by seeing computers, monitors, printers, copiers, speakers and other business equipment to their energy saving feature and turning them off at the end of the day. And plant a tree!
• Turning off all unnecessary lights, especially in unused offices and conference rooms is an easy way to save energy.
• If you’re in search of something to personalize your workspace, look no further than the humble houseplant. Houseplants are good for the environment because they remove quantities of pollutants present in the air.

AFTER A LONG DAY:

• In the summer/warmer months, consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air-conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home. While you’re at it, in winter, lower your thermostat and put on a jumper. In summer, increase it and wear lighter clothes, you will also save money!
• Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat as it senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air-conditioner to run longer than necessary.
• When cooking dinner, match the size of the pan to the size of the heating element to lower energy wastage.
• When you are feeling at your laziest, don’t throw clean clothes in the hamper to avoid hanging them up! Wear jeans more than once…

When you wash, use only eco-friendly products in your home. It’s best for you and the environment! And did we mention plant a tree!

Copied from www.unep.org

San Juan Excursions’ first trip of the 2010 season was on April 10th.  It turned out to be a great tour.  We got word that there were transient orcas in Rosario Strait!  Great news.  As Captain Pete navigated the “Odyssey” through the San Juan Islands, our Naturalists Russell and Erin kept the guests entertained with stories of the islands and the wildlife that inhabits them.  After the beautiful ride through the heart of the islands we arrived in Rosario Strait and we could start to see the orcas in the distance!  We approached the scene slowly as we were told that there was a lone adult male on his own away from the main group.  We soon spotted him and it turned out to be T14, Pender.  We watched him a little while before moving on to view the main group.  This group was the T87’s and there looked to be about 5 or 6 animals in this group.  From the seagulls circling over the top of the group and diving to the surface of the water, we assumed that the transients had made a kill.  There was lots of surface activity including  rolls and tail slaps.  We watched this group with the beautiful and snow capped Mt. Baker in the back drop.  On our return trip our guests were glad to have the heated indoor cabins to go back into and sip hot chocolate and coffee, as it was a cold and blustery day.  We were able to see two amazing bald eagles and many harbor seals on the ride back to Friday Harbor.  What a great day to start off the season!

Minke Whale

K Pod members

June 26

 A special day as we were privileged to have 4 year old Colin, his family, supporters, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation aboard. Colin had become fascinated with Orcas that he saw in the ocean scenes at the hospital he has spent many days at in the last 2 1/2 years. Hopes were high as we headed west of Salmon Bank. We were all delighted to watch K-11, K-13, K-25, K-27, K-34, K-20, and K-38, from 2:10pm until 3pm, in close family groups foraging as they headed northwest toward Eagle Cove, and two groups of other whales along the shoreline. It was that wonderful time of slack ebb tide, calm water, great visibility, sunshine, and hearing the powerful blows of the whales carry across the water as they swam past. We were all so happy Colin got his wish, when we came across two Minke whales foraging at Salmon Bank! The first Minke looked like an adult, the second a juvenile with a very curvy-hooked dorsal fin and a small white spot on the left flank. Both whales surfaced more often than we normally see, and close distance to each surfacing, so not so elusive and everyone saw them, along with rafts of marine birds! Topped off the trip with Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Oystercatchers, harbor seal sightings at Long island and Whale Rocks, and harbor porpoise in San Juan Channel. A truly magical trip and the diversity of wildlife a reminder of what a unique place is the Salish Sea, an honor to share and experience through visitors eyes!

Caroline Armon, San Juan Excursions

June is Orca Awareness Month. Here are some websites you can visit for more information about the Orca Whales and this months activities.

www.orcanetwork.org

www.wildsalmon.org

We got word that J Pod was south of San Juan Island, so we headed out  through Cattle Pass.  Along the way we saw two bald eagles soaring above the tree line.  There was a lot of current happening in the pass, but the Odyssey cut right through it.  Almost as soon as we got out of the pass, there were the leaders.  J-1 and J-2, as usual, along with J-8.  We let them pass and shortly after, the rest of J Pod passed us by.  They were definitely in travel mode, cruising along at 6 knots.  The new calves looked like they were swimming so fast to keep up!  After letting the whales pass by we went looking for more wildlife.  We found an eagle’s nest on Long Island and although there wasn’t an eagle in the nest, one did land on a nearby tree as we were watching.  On our way back in to Friday Harbor we saw a bunch of harbor seals hauled out on the rocks sunning themselves and there was even a Steller sea lion hanging out on Whale Rocks.  What a great day!  The sun was out, there was lots of wildlife and we didn’t have to go far to find it all.  If every day was like this you wouldn’t hear me complain. Captain Pete

Beautiful Pod

J pod was close-in today, near Speiden Island and Turn Point. The seas were smooth and easy riding, reflecting the sun like glass. The whales were especially active with one flipping onto its backside and tail lobbing several times. Since members of K pod were accompanying J pod (and residents only mate outside of their pod to prevent inbreeding), we theorize that this was part of a mating dance.

We had a great weekend on the water. The sun was shining and the wildlife was abundant. We even got to see the newest member of J-pod, J-45! (you can see him on the left hand side of the photo….)

We had a wonderful trip yesterday afternoon.  We got very exciting news in the morning that our resident orca whales were coming back in from the Pacific.  The wind was blowing a bit but we were dry and comfortable on the “Odyssey”  while viewing J-pod in Haro Strait.  It sure was nice to have our residents back in the area after being gone for such a long time. We also spotted a few  bald eagles and a couple of harbor porpoise.  There were reports that the whales split into two groups, with one headed south.  That group may include members of K and L pods.  We should know more today.  Welcome back residents.

Just days away from the start of May, we look forward to seeing the abundant wildlife that surrounds the San Juan Islands. Spring in the San Juan’s is one of my favorite times of year. While on the crisp, flat water we have the pleasure of viewing Steller sea lions hauled out, harbor seals playing, harbor porpoise swimming, bald eagles soaring, purple sea stars hugging the docks and orca whales teaching their babies to hunt and feed on the local fish and marine life. Spring in the San Juan’s has a relaxing atmosphere and an energy that is refreshing and rejuvenating. Come experience it for yourself…..

Erin A.