About Ken & Laurel

‘Spirit of Orca’ was started by me over a decade ago. Laurel and I are passionate about the marine life they share with their guests. I have been a professional mariner for over 47 years, serving as a captain, mate, and deckhand. My experience has been mainly on ocean-going tug boats and ATB petroleum tankers on the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

I started as a deckhand on the Columbia River, but shortly after that, I began sailing oceans. Much of my life at sea has prepared me to share the “net of wonder” that Jacques Cousteau lived and shared with all of us. I fell in love with the sea at a very young age, watching Jacques Cousteau in his adventures, Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, and Flipper. I have continued to nurture that ever-growing love.

Cruise Ship and Tugboat Experience

I served time at sea on small cruise ships in Southeast Alaska and the Pacific coast, where I spent much time observing marine life. On the Columbia River and Snake River, we mainly saw land mammals. I worked on ocean-going tug boats in the Gulf of Alaska to the Aleutians. Towing barges up Cook Inlet to Anchorage and back many times. 

My time at sea includes much experience spent on vessels in Southeast Alaska, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Inside Passage waters of the British Columbia islands. I started as a young deckhand right out of high school. I spent my first three years as a deckhand on the Columbia and Snake Rivers from Astoria, OR, to Lewiston, ID.

During my years at sea, I have been very fortunate to observe marine life in the wild where it belongs. My years at sea on the west coast from Alaska and the west coast of British Columbia down to the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.   From the shores of Costa Rica and the waters from Puerto Rico to Florida. Hundreds of humpback whales were observed “bubble net feeding” in Alaska. A highlight was when I rubbed the heads of curious gray whale calves in Mexico. We often see killer whales chasing and killing prey in the Salish Sea, the waters of Alaska, and British Columbia.

Naturalist Experience

As a certified naturalist since the spring of 2015, with ongoing training each year, I will share my knowledge with you. One of my greatest pleasures is sharing my experience with my guests aboard Spirit of Orca. I can do this on our unique and intimate tours by taking you to meet and observe the whales. Most importantly, they belong in their natural and magnificent environment, where we can appreciate them best.

When Laurel is not working as a nurse, she is out on the water sharing her knowledge of marine life with me. If you are fortunate enough to be on one of the tours she is with me, you will see she has as much love for the sea and its many creatures as I do.

I hope this section, ‘About Ken, Laurel & Spirit of Orca,’ gives you a feel for who we are as a company, our love of the sea, and all its life. Check out our Spirit of  Orca FaceBook page.