If you’ve ever been along the shore or out on the waters of Haro Strait, west of San Juan Island, on a busy summer weekend, you know it’s quite a scene. If you’re out on the water, you’ll most likely be in the midst of a wide variety of powerboats, kayaks and a number of larger whale watching tour boats, with perhaps a tanker or freighter out in the middle of the strait. One of the prime feeding grounds for the Southern Resident population of orca whales, Haro Strait is also where people converge to try to see these amazing animals. But, it’s important to watch with care, so that whale watching activities don’t disrupt the animals environment or their ability to lead healthy, normal lives.

The Soundwatch program is the on-the-water outreach arm of the Whale Museum to educate boaters in the San Juan Marine Stewardship Area about how to enjoy orcas and other marine wildlife without doing harm. And the work couldn’t be done without a cadre of volunteers. Along with professional boat operators, over 40 volunteers annually ply the waters of the San Juan Islands in the Soundwatch boat for 8 to 10 hours a day during the summer.  These citizen patrols talk with thousands of boaters, monitor vessel interactions with orcas, collect data about the numbers and types of vessels near the whales and record the nature of vessel disturbances they witness. After the season, volunteers present the data they’ve collected to marine managers and vessel stakeholder groups so that stakeholders can make adjustments to the whale watching guidelines and regulations.   The volunteers also hand out thousands of educational packets on good wildlife stewardship practices to recreational boaters and kayakers every year.