Mary wrote: > Which brings me to something else I'd like input on.... say there is > a small rubbing > beach which gets orcas during the summer - not daily, not on a > schedule of any sort - > but often enough to be notable and exciting. It also has fairly easy > access, both by > car and by boat. In writing this brochure - or any other guidebook > for that matter - > is it better to mention it and include reasonable guidelines for > behavior - or > downplay or ignore it? This has repeatedly come up within our local > tourism group. > > I get the idea I'm asking some pretty responsible people here, so > I'd like to know: > what would you guys do? > > Regards, > > Mary Murphy > Malcolm Island Inn > I live in an area where we have some resident Grey Whales, and many migrating whales visit each spring along their way. For the last few years, myself and my visiting friends are the only ones to paddle with these lovely creatures. Most of the year, it's just me. I've actually become quite good friends with the local whales, and I'm sensitive to their apparent desires. Often, they seem to really enjoy my company (even gently playing with my boat, and allowing me to touch them), and other times, it's obvious they need some private time. I feel very fortunate to have the experiences I have with them, and sometimes (remember, I said sometimes), I feel rather guilty having them all to myself. After having witnessed what happened a few years ago in Dyes Inlet (near Bremerton, WA) with the hundreds of paddlers and motor boaters chasing Orcas, I'm reluctant to spread the word about my little paddler's paradise here. Out here, during the spring migration, it's bad enough with the small fleet of tour boats (motor) that chase the whales around - to give their clients a closer view. I've seen whales with distinct propeller scars. I also notice that the whales, although always friendly and gentle, seem quite disturbed when one of these boats actively pursues them. Personally, I can't resist paddling with them, and as I mentioned, we've even become friends. If, however, a multitude of paddlers started filling these waters every season, I can only imagine that this would disturb the whales. So what is a paddler to do? Melissa __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri May 05 2000 - 14:06:07 PDT
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