We know LoCO readers love drone footage, so even thought these killer whales are up in British Columbia, we figured you’d want to check out this first-time footage NOAA researchers gathered using an “unmanned aerial vehicle.”

From NOAA: 

The animals studied are the Northern Resident killer whales of British Columbia, a population that’s listed as threatened under Canada’s Species At Risk Act… Like the endangered Southern Residents that spend summers near Seattle, these whales eat salmon – mainly Chinook salmon – and some of the salmon runs they rely on are much smaller than they used to be. In fact, several Chinook runs are themselves endangered, and scientists are concerned that a lack of prey may be limiting the whale populations. 

Full story here.

Closer to home, crab season opens Saturday and a benefit to help reopen Dry Lagoon Campground takes place Saturday night – you might have caught Kayak Zak’s Marna Powell on KHUM’s Coastal Currents or KHSU’s The EcoNews Report passionately detailing the importance of making this happen.

Short version is, a couple years ago the state decided to close a bunch of parks due to lack of funding. The North Coast was required to take a hit and, despite the fact that both campgrounds brought in more proceeds than they cost to operate, Stone Lagoon’s boat-in campground and Dry Lagoon’s hike-in campground were both closed. Powell rallied the community,including Humboldt State recreation students, to reopen Stone Lagoon’s sites last year and she’s determined to do the same for Dry Lagoon. Marna also elaborates in this week’s MRU.

Sharktober lived up to its reputation yesterday, when a visiting surfer was “politely bumped” by a true local – a great white shark according to witnesses. Unlike the last two Humboldt shark vs human interactions, no harm was done. (For a list of 2014 Pacific Coast encounters, go here.) (And even though our coastline is sharkier than some others, odds are still greater that the cold or the current or the big waves’ll get you first.) 

Speaking of surfy surf, Ocean Night is next week and we’re screening the legendary documentary Step Into Liquid. See it on the big screen, Thursday, Nov. 6.

Finally, for Halloween and because you like dead things on the beach, here’s a recent find. What do you think?

Jennifer Savage is the Northcoast Environmental Center’s Coastal Programs Director and Humboldt Surfrider Chairperson.