“Blackfish” is the English translation of a word Pacific Northwest indigenous peoples gave to killer whales or Orca, holding them in respectful regard while keeping a traditional safe distance. [ http://notmytribe.com/2013/blackfish-has-a-name-its-tilikum-thats-mister-tilikum-to-you-kemosabe-839413.html ]

Myths: (1) Orca or Killer Whales are fish. NO. (2) Orca are aggressive enough to attack humans. NO. The only attacks on humans, some fatal, occurred by Orca’s in captivity. This, one has to understand. (3) The large back fin of the Orca always flaps over. NO. Only in Orca’s in captivity. (4) The Orca has one of the largest brains within the animal world. YES.

I was privileged enough to meet these wonderful creatures in 1978 when I and my little son visited Victoria, BC in Canada NW Coast, when the Marine Park SEALAND OF THE PACIFIC – Oak Bay Marina – was still in operation.

One of the major attractions has been Tilikum, a big beautiful bull whale. All whales, it should be remembered, were kept in captivity in small metal cages. They were also at that time thrown together independent of their ‘family’ or pod relationship, a dangerous concept because of frequent infighting among the animals.

Tilikum (“Tilly”) had been involved in several deadly attacks on humans. While at Sealand of the Pacific, he with two other orca’s submerged the trainer Keltie Byrne who subsequently drowned. That tells you: “do not play with 12000 lbs of killer whale assuming that they are only song birds.” These whales were frustrated with their captivity, their stressful lifestyle (kept at night in 20×30 metal pens), and the unnatural acts they were asked to perform for the public’s enjoyment. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealand_of_the_Pacific ]

SEALAND closed down 1993. (This facility like similar others for large marine animals had a dark history of acquiring their whales: separating them with boats from their pods and chasing them into inescapable waters, to then trap them and move them into the facility.)

It is heart breaking to see how many marine parks exist on the basis of such abuse to an extremely intelligent mammal.

Where is Tilikum now ? SEAWORLD Orlando, Florida. His life ?

He lives in isolation, deeply unhappy, an intelligent animal that craves companionship and a whale family to share. The only thing it seems he shares is his semen that is collected and frozen for breeding purposes. More shocking news in a new book with interviews by former trainers= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175966/Killer-whales-Seaworld-teeth-removed-power-drills-left-mourn-separated-young-claims-shocking-new-book.htmlBookmarks Toolbar .

Fact is, the more you ride your bicycle the more experience you gain, the more confident you are moving with the flow of the other vehicle traffic.

Victoria British Columbia Canada – although described as the “bicycle capital of Canada” – is not easy to negotiate. Two reasons: (1) Since Vancouver Island is just one big volcanic rock, city streets are never just level, they are up and down, climbing and descending, oftentimes steep.(2) Victoria is an older city and many streets are narrow, having gotten too small for the amount of increasing traffic. That means that only select streets and thoroughfares have marked bicycle lanes. Usually just painted demarcations in the street, sharing busy roads with cars, trucks and buses. There are no dedicated bicycle lanes like in many European cities or larger cities in Canada. Where enough space is available to have bike lanes.

In summary, in Europe for example, of one thousand cars there may be 200 bicycles in the roads. In Canada, out of one thousand cars there may be 20 bicycles. To cycle safely, it needs a couple of tricks or tips (to keep you alive): Traveling along the road through numbers of traffic lights (signals at each corner) as a cyclist one should always stop when the lights turn yellow (while a car can easily make it through the yellow lights, a bike cannot). What I do ? Observe both the big lights for changing and the smaller ones for the pedestrian crossings. When the pedestrian lights blink red and the big lights are still green, slow down, YELLOW will follow quick. Next tip: When cycling down a busy street and cars are coming at you and behind you, try to check (half-turn head) behind you right and left. There are cyclists that try to pass you on your right. A big NO-NO and dangerous. (Unless you have small rear-view mirrors attached).

I cycle a lot. And we have wonderful (out-of-city) bicycle trails. That’s fine and dandy. But from my house to get to those trails I still have to cover one km to arrive at any bike trail. Another thing to observe is, always indicate your turns (right or left). Some cyclists don’t. And never cycle in pairs. Even on the trails, where many do it. Cycling in groups and talk, talk, instead of respecting others on the trails.

What counts most is experience: If one cycles only twice a year, then it’s difficult to feel confident in heavy traffic. And don’t forget the tools. One more little tip (concerning the theft of bikes or bicycle parts). I now got myself two lock chains: One for the seat, the helmet and the rear wheel, the second for the front wheel, the frame and firmly connected to a post or bike rack. There are nice lock chains now which can be registered online for in case one looses a key. Another little tip (after I had a tire blow out on the trail) is to always keep cash with you to take a bus home. Bikes here can be mounted free of charge on the front of a city bus (room for two). Or carry a spare tube. The obvious: wear bright colored clothing, that helps.

One more issue: Cycling on the side walks, among pedestrians. Illegal here in Canada. Most that do are likely to be young males. If older senior citizens can cycle in the road with the vehicular traffic, then they can do that too. This rule I like here in Canada. Compared to eg. Germany Berlin where people cycle on the sidewalks and when walking, your head has to be screwed backward all the time. Enough of this: HAPPY & SAFE CYCLING !