Orcasound Lab (Haro Strait)

Centered within the summertime habitat of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales, Orcasound Lab is a good place to listen for orcas, as well as ships passing through Haro Strait and boats traveling along the west side of San Juan Island. In the late fall you can hear humpbacks, and in the summer male harbor seals vocalize nearby.

Hydrophones have been deployed here since 2002, usually just outside the kelp, less than 30m offshore. Orcasound Lab is hosted by Val and Leslie Veirs of Beam Reach.

Learn more about the Orcasound Lab node.

Status update 4/9/2023: The CRT SQ26-08 deployed in late January failed progressively during wind storm. It lasted 2.5 months. Post-mortem suggests element failure, not fatigue of the cable inside the garden hose. A Team is working on a replacement...