Where are the Whales – by Joël Lavigueur
“So… how far do we have to paddle to see the killer whales?”
“Well, I took an appointment with this orca pod I’m buddies with, the A24s, and they told me they would be hanging around Blinkhorn Peninsula. So if we keep this pace up guys, we should be there in about 45.7 minutes tops.”
Of course, I didn’t really answer my client’s question with total sarcasm, though I was strongly considering it. It was mid-August and I had already heard what seemed to be a thousand queries of that kind. “Will we see orcas?” I DON’T KNOW! “Where are the whales?” WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE! Loosing patience with clients is very hard on gratuities and not so heuristic. Deep breath, centre your chakras, smile, “You see, with marine mammals like orcas and humpbacks, we can’t really predict when and where they’ll be once we’re on the water. Of course, the more time you spend out there, the more chances you’ll have of spotting them. Today we’ll be out for about 7 hours, so let’s keep our ears and eyes keen but not forget about all the other cool wildlife we can find.” That’s right! While my group scrutinizes the middle of the strait for big impressive whales, I have my eyes on the rocky shore and seabed. It’s low tide!
“Hey! check this out guys!”
Reluctantly shifting there attention to their exuberant dreadhead guide, they quickly forget about the whale hunting.
“What is THAT?” “It’s so slimy!” “Look how many legs it has!” “Is it poisonous?!”
“THIS, my friends, is a Sunflower Star. The fiercest fastest predator of the intertidal!”
“Can I hold it?” Not to my surprise I turn around to find my youngest paddler with big googly eyes holding his arms out towards the 24-legged spiny, spongy, slimy creature.
As simple as that, they divert their efforts from finding big majestic sea mammals to unearthing (unseaing?) intertidal critters. From whelks to sea urchins to leather stars to kelp crabs, without knowing, we find the whole spectrum of creatures who’s ancestors are… OUR ancestors. Yeah I know, creepy!
“But we are descendants of Adam and Eve”
“eeeeee… Hey look! Dall’s Porpoises!” Perfect timing… Never talk about politics, religion or
money with clients. EVER!
“The Dall’s Porpoise is actually the fastest marine mammal on Earth. And would ya look at that, we’re already at our lunch beach!” It’s all about diverting there attention and distraction. While my group either turns over rocks looking for crabs or keep an eye offshore, I prepare a delicious pick-nick. That is, spread the table cloth on a log, open tupperwares and mix salad ingredients as if to show off some kind of backcountry meal prep skills.
“Lunch is ready!”
On the menu today (and every day-trip): Greek salad, pitas, hummus, cookies and Pringles.
“Oh wow! How colourful!” ” I don’t eat this well at home.” …you’re serious???
Lunch is a good time to relax and get to know my clients. It seems I am two different guides on the water and on land. In my boat I’m constantly telling them where to go, what to look at, answering questions. On the beach, they won’t go far, they can finds critters themselves and they too need a break from asking questions. Today we talked about French and language immersion. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the first time. It usually starts with: “So where are you from, Joël” “Montreal” “Oh! So do you speak French?” “Yep, it’s my mother tongue.” “But you don’t have an accent” and then arises a conversation about language immersion and sometimes goes through Québec separatism which I quickly divert to “Enough about the French, how about you guys, what do you do back home?” My first clients however, a couple from North Carolina, knew more about the Québec Patriotes then me! Seems the husband was all in to books about Wolf and Montcalm, Papineau and Taschereau. So it was one of the rare times were I talked politics, well… more like history right?
“Alright everyone! Let’s pack up and get in our kayaks.”
The way back is a lot different. Apart from being in a digestive coma, most of them also seem to realize where they are and how big it is. They’re lots of silent moments and I love looking behind me to see the majority of them gazing around with admiring eyes, spotting their third bald eagle and fifth harbour seal. If I did my job right, they forgot about the killer whales. They understood that they weren’t in a zoo where around a bend, humpbacks would be breaching everyday and around another, orcas would be spyhopping constantly. This is the Wild, the Unpredictable. This is Mama Earth’s turf, not ours.
Speak of the devil (not that she is or anything), thar she blows! As usual on a Johnstone Strait afternoon, the summer Northwesterly picks up and forces us to hug the shore. With just my luck, max flood was happening and we end up eddy-climbing our way home. Thank you whitewater kayaking! “Just power through the eddy line and keep turning left with your rudder after crossing it” Just the excitement they need to finish up the day. We paddle in to Telegraph Cove like pumped and like superstars smiling to the hoard of tour bus tourists photographing us.
After thank yous and hand shakes (some with surprises in them), I take the time to thank them. Looks of puzzlement follow and I quickly explain “Thank you for making my job feel like avacation.”
I spoke to soon. It’s time to clean up. Dishes, leftovers, rinsing gear, hanging PFDs, putting kayaks on their racks, filling a log, helping a group after their 3-day journey on and on until, the light at the end of the tunnel. My boss walks back from the general store with 2 Bowen Island 6-packs. We assemble around our pick nick tables and finally unwind. The guides are exceptional all back from their trips the same day and we have 2 fresh Coho’s marinating. Perfect reason to celebrate. The Pit awaits!
Telegraph Cove is a resort town and the only accommodation is camping or 235$/day houses. The staff from North Island Kayak and the Seahorse Café however have a spot to ourselves: Creekside, that we lovingly nickname the Gravel Pit, a barren lot of big sharp gravel flanked with a dozen trailers. Some are lucky enough to have running water, propane hook ups and a level ground. I’m the new guy, so I got the trailer that was suppose to go to the dumpster for being to mouldy. “Naaaah, its fine! Just needs a little scrub with Javel right?”
Can you say understatement?
After a quick clean in the recycled phone booth we call our shower, I cook some rosemary and dulse rice and a plate of my now famous garlic bread. By the time I’m done, I can smell the fire slowly cooking the delicious fishies. The Tide Rip Bear Tour guys are there and most of the Pit’s population. The word had quickly spread and the girls from the Whale Interpretative Centre, Stubbs Island Whale Watching naturalists and the campground managers were all gathered in the Pit to enjoy a colossal pot luck. Laughs, stories, dancing, drinking and eating ensues as I tell myself “Now this is my kind of Summer! I’ll be back next year no questions.”
Cheers to my day off tomorrow!
Click on the link to watch Joël’s Summer Guiding video:
