We learned a great deal about these whales, what they feed on, why they are in Depoe Bay, and don’t migrate up to Alaska. They are considered “residence whales” because they make the choice not to go up to Alaska each year; they stay in the bay and feed on mysids (tiny shrimp).
They stay close to the coast when migrating to Depoe Bay and when they get there because of the transient killer whales trying to eat their calfs. They are 5 ft tall but can swim in 6′ of water, unlike the killer whales who need deeper water. Those white marks on the back of this female are killer whale teeth scars.
We saw 4 whales in the 90 minutes that we were on the water and highly recommend the experience!
Sheridan Pacific Northwest Adventure 