All Of L Pod Returns On 6/17/13

J and L pod left the area on the night of 6/9/13, and finally after eight days, L pod returned to islands on the morning of 6/17/13. We caught up with them on the "Odyssey", a San Juan Excursions whale watching boat, at Iceberg Point, Lopez Island, as they made their way towards Rosario Strait. The first orca I identified was Mega L41, our oldest, and largest male in the Southern Resident population. Skana L79, his mother Spirit L22, and younger brother Solstice L89 were also nearby.

Mega L41, born in 1977.

Skana L79, born in 1989.

Close to Skana's family was Ophelia L27, Surprise L86 with her son Pooka L106, and Ino L54 with her three children: Indigo L100, Coho L108, and Keta L117. Nyssa L84 was also with these orcas, as well as who I believe to be L119. Farther away I could see Wave Walker L88, and further past him was Mystery L85.

All of a sudden all of the orcas we were with got really active with breaches, half breaches, dorsal fins slaps, tail slaps, belly flops, back dives, and even one amazing twisting breach that reminded me of what I had seen spinner dolphins do in Hawai'i. Ophelia breached three times in a row at one point and then did a back dive.

Ophelia L27, estimated to have been born in 1965, breaches high into the air.

Ophelia breaches again!

Ophelia breaches again!

Ophelia back dives!

Around this time Keta L117, Solstice L89, L119 and others were breaching and doing all sorts of other antics so it was hard to catch all of them.

Coho L108, born in 2006, does a half breach.

Coho does an inverted tail slap.

Coho tail slaps next to Spirit L22, estimated to have been born in 1971. Coho spent a lot of time with her during this encounter even though his mother is Ino L54.

I was also excited to see that Indigo L100, born in 2001, has started to sprout! Hopefully he will grow into a large adult male like Mega!

Please don't use my photos without permission. Just ask :)