“Wow” is a common word used by whale watchers, but the wow factor of this encounter was greater than most.
A pod of Southern Resident orca whales passed so close to the shore, bystanders along Galiano Island could have reached out and petted them.
“I could have put my hand in and touched one, but I respect them so much I would never want to interfere with their natural tradition,” said Rachelle Hayden, who was standing along the edge of the shore in the video.
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Hayden, a Galiano Island resident had gotten a phone call from a friend who gave her the heads up the pod of whales were heading through Active Pass.