Who is That Killer Whale?
Title page of Pacific Search Magazine “Who is that Whale?” article on the orca pods of the Salish Sea
Stored in our family attics, basements and storage units are all kinds of historic relics, papers, bibelots, and books. Many times, these things don’t need to go straight to recycling or the dump. A little curiosity or a pause to let a memory spark can make it clear where something can find a new home.
A lot of my work with collectors involves sifting through magazines. In this case, the yellowed 1977 Pacific Search magazine (a nature-oriented magazine about the Pacific Northwest that was published in the 1970's and 80's) featured the Salish Sea’s famous orcas on the cover. The photos were taken and the article co-written by legendary whale researcher Dr. Ken Balcomb who founded the Center for Whale Research in 1976. Flipping through the magazine, an unforgettable experience immediately came to mind: spending a day with these whales, and skipping school to do it.
In the 80's my sister, Dad, Ken and I went out to the waters off San Juan Island in a small boat to see the whales--Ken was doing his regular recording of whale activity and we joined him. Dad knew this would be special so he brought us, knowing this would be the best science field trip a kid could ask for. My dad and Ken wrote a book together, but that is another story. Ken has since passed away but left a profound mark on whale science globally and in this part of the world. Northwesterners are proud and protective of our special killer whales because of the attention Ken and his colleagues brought to their complex whale lives and culture.
J and L Orca Pod members, as identified by their dorsal fins
Materials I sent to the Center for Whale Research
My family no longer needed the magazine, but it still held local cultural and historical value. So I sent it to the Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island, for their records. I included a card and a sentiment with it: “That day is one of my most treasured memories; Ken was the whale whisperer and the whole of J pod seemed to come out to see him.”
If there are magazines, vintage publications, or other materials in our family attics and storage, where might they find a new home? Be creative about dispersing them to the world where they might still have use, bring joy, or even bring new perspective to history. This took a little effort to make happen, and postage, but was worth it—I don’t know how the magazine was received on the other end, but I’d like to think it was a gesture that didn’t go unappreciated. And made us all think about the whales.
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