Whales Are Fighting Back — And We Might Deserve It

Whales Are Fighting Back — And We Might Deserve It

From Deck Tales: Secrets From The Sea. Behind the Scenes Stories from Cruise Ships and Crew Members from Maritime and Sea Life by Sam Catling - Sea Life Story Teller

March 25, 2026 · 1h 27m · Season 3 · Episode 50

About this episode

Captain Sammy Catling interviews veteran captain Ted Lund about marine conservation and the impacts of cruise ships on whale behavior.

Ep50: Ted Lund In this episode of  Deck Tales , Captain Sammy Catling sits down with veteran captain, journalist, and whale-watching guide  Ted Lund , broadcasting from Juneau, Alaska at the height of whale season. What begins as a conversation about humpback whales quickly expands into a wide-ranging, eye-opening discussion on marine conservation, cruise ship impacts, whale behavior, and life lived almost entirely at sea. Ted shares firsthand stories—from whales struck by ships and learned orca “revenge” behavior, to bubble-net feeding spectacles, cruise ship pollution, and near-death experiences offshore. Blending hard science, lived experience, and dark humour, this episode challenges how we think about tourism, progress, and our responsibility to the ocean. 🌊 Key Takeaways Whales learn and teach behavior : Orca attacks on boats may be a learned, generational response to vessel strikes killing pod matriarchs. Cruise ships have hidden costs : From whale fatalities to coral damage, sediment plumes, invasive species, and infrastructure strain, the impacts go far beyond tourism dollars. Whale watching is booming—maybe too much : Alaska’s whale populations have…

People in this episode

Host: Sam Catling

Guest: Ted Lund

Topics covered

  • marine conservation
  • whale behavior
  • cruise ship impacts
  • tourism
  • ocean responsibility
  • whale watching

Keywords

  • whales
  • marine conservation
  • cruise ships
  • whale watching
  • ocean pollution
  • humpback whales
  • orca behavior

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Juneau, Alaska, Alaska

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