Langley Whale Center Celebrates an Impactful Decade and Counting

By Kate Poss • Photos by Nia Martin

Devotion to bringing home a captured resident orca named Tokitae led to the creation of the Orca Network in 2001, and the subsequent opening of the Langley Whale Center—which celebrated its tenth anniversary in March 2024.

The Langley Whale Center is a marine-themed experiential center with a gift shop supporting the Orca Network, a whale sighting and marine education network. The Center features exhibits on humpbacks, gray whales, orcas, and other marine life.

Tokitae was a young orca in 1970 when her pod was driven into Penn Cove in an orca capture designed to supply marine mammal venues with entertainment. She was sold to the Miami Seaquarium where she spent 53 years performing and living in a small tank. After years of public demand that Tokitae be released, new owners of the Seaquarium finally agreed. However, she died on August 18, 2023, before she could return home. Her memory was honored a year later at an Orca Network-sponsored event and her legacy lives on with the Lummi Nation—whose name for her is Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut.

The Orca Network was originally formed to support efforts to return Tokitae to the Salish Sea. “We started with the Tokitae Foundation,” recalled Susan Berta who, along with husband Howard Garrett, created the Orca Network more than 20 years ago. 

“We realized people needed to learn about Toki’s family and that she needed to be returned to her family.”

Hoping to raise awareness and support for the Orca Network, Langley businesses suggested the creation of a marine mammal education center.

Berta recalled the moment the idea took shape in 2013. She and Garrett were standing outside Langley’s Clyde Theatre answering questions after the showing of “Blackfish”—a documentary chronicling the experiences of Tilikum, a captured orca from Iceland trained for performance at the Orlando SeaWorld.

“We’re passionate about tailoring our
educational programs to meet the unique needs
of our community.”

“Fred Lundahl [from Music for the Eyes] and Marie Lincoln from Chocolate Flower Farm said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have a whale center?’” Berta recalled. “Before we knew it, Fred talked with people, found a building, and had rented part of it for the Langley Main Street office. We rented the remaining space and opened March 1 the following year.”

The Center eventually moved from its original location and now occupies generous space at 105 Anthes Street. Walking inside the former 1920’s-era auto showroom, the front window features a juvenile blue whale jawbone. An interactive kids’ room is in the back. A hydrophone sound booth broadcasts sounds heard beneath the surface of the Salish Sea. Framed posters depict various types of marine life and displays discuss various topics, like the impact of climate change, the marine life cycle, and identifying different whale species.

The Center’s goal is to inspire the public to make positive changes on behalf of oceans and rivers—such as removing plastic from beaches and waterways—and on educating young people to become stewards of the marine environment.

Whale Center co-manager Lucy Miller coordinates volunteers, arranges tours, and organizes school field trips. “Groups reach out to us, and we’ll let them know about the Orca Network,” Miller said. “For a special topic, like gray whales, we’ll do a presentation. We do a lot of school field trips in the spring.”

Co-manager Trevor Snow, who has a background in marine conservation, manages inventory and merchandising, audio/video displays, and the hydrophone project at Bush Point, which allows the public to listen online for orcas.

“I lived on Whidbey Island for years without seeing a whale,” Snow said. “Within a month of starting work at the Whale Center, I became connected to the community and sighting network. I heard a gray whale was feeding in Langley. I sprinted down there. Little Patch [a gray whale] was feeding on his side. I was so lucky, and he ended up spy-hopping—a wonderful introduction.”

In March 2024, the Center celebrated its tenth anniversary in, as Snow described, “a day filled with joy, laughter, and vibrant energy. Families and children filled the Center, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with the younger generation, who were curious and excited to learn about whales and marine life.”

Forging these connections drives outreach efforts. “We’re passionate about tailoring our educational programs to meet the unique needs of our community and are eager to build new relationships and embrace new challenges,” added Snow. “We also look forward to bringing in new and engaging exhibits to enhance the experience for first-time visitors while encouraging our local community to return and explore more frequently.”

The Center is supported by City of Langley tourism grants, donations from the annual Welcome the Whales Parade, memberships, and gift shop sales. It partners with organizations, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Sound Water Stewards, the Center for Whale Research, and the Cascadia Research Collective. During the summer, the Langley Whale Center is visited by as many as 500 people per day.

Miller spoke about the Center’s relationship with its partners. “We work with them to have up-to-date information on gray whales and orcas. They’ve come up with identification guides for the species. The Cascadia Research Collective has taken drone photos so we can monitor the gray whales’ health. We work with NOAA and collaborate with them to help marine animals that have been stranded. We work with Sound Water Stewards to hold youth events. We tend to get a lot of volunteers who have gone through the Sound Water Stewards program.”

At the Langley Whale Center, partnerships, volunteers, and visitors are the backbone of their work. 

To learn more or become involved, visit orcanetwork.org/volunteer.