An
estimated 22,000 gray whales will swim past Washingtons coastline
during the next few weeks as they migrate thousands of miles to
rich feeding grounds near Alaska.
A dozen or more of the giant creatures are expected to spend
a few months in Puget Sound as they bulk up for the trip.
The whales dont eat while spending the winter in their
breeding grounds in Mexicos Baja Peninsula or in the Gulf
of California, so fuel stops are needed as they travel 5,000 to
6,500 miles to the Bering and Chukchi seas in the Arctic.
The Pacific Whale Watching Association calls it the longest
migration of any mammal on Earth, with the whales traveling at about
five knots and averaging 75 miles a day on the trip.
There have been a couple sightings of whales in the Sound already
this year, so whale-watching season has officially begun.
Island Adventures Whale Watching, which offers three-hour trips
from the Port of Everett, begins operations on Saturday and will
continue until May 18.
California gray whales are sizable creatures, reaching an estimated
45 feet in length and weighing as much as 40 tons. They can live
for decades.
Olympia-based Cascadia Research has been studying the small
but growing group of grays in Puget Sound since 1990. It has identified
whales that visit the Sound every year, feeding in shallow tide
flats around Everett and Whidbey and Camano islands for sand shrimp.
In addition to the regulars, there are also usually a few transients.
The resident whales regularly visit Mission Beach on the Tulalip
Tribes Reservation, rolling in the shallows during high tide to
stir up the beach and using their baleen plates to separate the
shrimp from the water and sand.
They can eat about a ton of shrimp a day, according to the institute.
Michael Harris of the whale-watching association said the population
of gray whales is growing, which could be good news for local whale
watchers.
Were fortunate that we get about a dozen gray whales
who hang out each spring for long periods of time feeding on ghost
shrimp what we call residents but from
the sound of things, we should be getting a lot of migratory whales
in here, too. And maybe some hungry orcas following them in,
he said in a news release.
He added that researchers in California are reporting bigger
than usual numbers of gray whales in this years migration.
Watch the whales
Island Adventures: Boards at 10:30 a.m. from the Everett Marina
near Anthonys Homeport Restaurant, 1726 W. Marine View Drive.
First trip is Saturday. The boat leaves at 11 a.m. Trips will
continue through May 18. In addition to whales, customers frequently
see harbor seals, sea lions, porpoises, eagles and osprey.
Tickets are $69 for adults; $59 for seniors 65 and older, military,
groups of 10 or more, students with ID and AAA discounts; $49 for
kids 3 to 12; children 2 and under are free.
Go to www.island-adventures.com
or call 800-465-4604. Reservations are suggested.
Cascadia Research: Learn more about California gray whales at
www.cascadiaresearch.org.
Orca Network: Check for local whale sightings at www.orcanetwork.org
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