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A Crazy Morning With The J17s On 9/12/15

9/16/2015

On September 11th, the J17s came down Boundary Pass and made it San Juan Island in the evening. The L54s were also in Boundary Pass, but possibly went down Presidents Channel. The rest of J pod, all of K pod, and the rest of L pod spent their day exiting the area through the Strait of Juan De Fuca towards the open ocean. The next morning, I spotted Northbound orcas in front of my house at False Bay and headed to some nearby cliffs to see who they were. It was the J17 matriline all by themselves and they were in a very active mood for a short time!

Princess Angeline J17 and her son, Moby J44, were a little offshore while the rest of the family, Polaris J28, Tahlequah J35 (daughters to J17), Star 46, and Notch J47 (grandchildren to J17) were inshore. Polaris J28 cartwheeled and pectoral fin slapped, Tahleqauh J35 breached twice, Star J46 tail slapped, cartwheeled, pectoral fin slapped, and inverted tail slapped, and Notch J47 tail slapped, breached, and played with kelp. This flurry of activity happened very fast and was brief. The family then milled about a little to the North of me and seemed to be foraging for salmon.

Tahlequah J35 breaches. She was born in 1998.

Star J46 cartwheels. She was born in 2009.

Star J46 does an inverted tail slap.

Later that day, the L54s met up with the J17s and they socialized together around the same area. The next day (the 13th), J and K pod came in from Hein Bank to San Juan Island with the L54s. On the 14th, J and K pod as well as the L54s were still at the island. On the 15th, J and K pod (were the L54s still with them?) headed offshore of San Juan Island and out toward the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Were they going to leave the area? They indeed were as the next day (the 16th), Js and Ks were seen outbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. I wonder when they will be back?

Please do not us my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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A Day Full Of Cetaceans On 9/9/15

9/16/2015

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Early on the morning of September 9th, some friends and I headed out on the water to try to see a fin whale that has recently been hanging out in the area, which is super rare. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the water was calm. But as we headed South down the shoreline of San Juan Island, we entered a thick wall of fog off of Hannah Heights. Visibility was very limited and knowing there were probably orcas around, we stopped the boat off Pile Point and took a listen. There were blows all around us in the fog, some close and some off in the distance. We would later find out that it was probably a superpod, with everybody from J, K, and L pod in the area. All three pods had been inbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca the day prior.

After awhile of listening to the orcas and getting a feel for their direction of travel (North), we continued very slowly South through the fog towards McArthur Bank. The bank is located off of Iceberg Point on Lopez Island and it was where the fin whale had been seen most recently. As we passed over Salmon Bank off the South end of San Juan Island, we saw a few Dall's porpoise! These black and white porpoise, which will often play and interact with boats, are not as common as they used to be in the area, so spotting them is very special.

Once we got to McArthur, we stopped the boat and listened for the fin whale's blow. Within seconds, I heard a large exhale behind us in the fog. I believe this was the fin whale! It breathed a few more times and then went on a deep dive. A few minutes later, we heard another blow off in the distance and we thought it was the fin whale again. So, we started slowly tracking the whale by its blows, without ever getting a visual on the whale through the dense fog. I then began suspecting that these blows we were following were from a minke whale and that the fin was now back behind us. The blows eventually led us to Hein Bank, where I then heard two different blows, one sounding like an orca. Soon, fog lifted and we spotted Ocean Sun L25 foraging by herself. My bet is that there were other members of the L12s around but they were just very spread out. A few minutes later we also spotted a minke whale, and this was likely the whale we tracked by sound from McArthur Bank.

Ocean Sun L25, born around 1928.

With the fog pretty much gone, we headed back to McArthur Bank to see if we could find the fin whale again. We scanned for a bit and spotted a few harbor porpoise, as well as another minke whale. Suddenly off in the direction of Smith Island, we all heard a large blow and there off in the distance was the fin whale! The towering mist from it's exhale lingered in the air as its long back parted the water. The whale aimed towards Swirl Rock off of Lopez, traveled up the island's coast past Iceberg Point, and continued on towards Salmon bank. Once at Salmon Bank, it began feeding on huge bait balls that had formed. The seagulls, common murres, and rhinoceros aukelts would startle at times when the whale surfaced to breathe close to them. My estimate is that this fin whale was around 40-50 feet long, but these whales can grow to lengths of 80 feet!

The fin whale surfaces to breathe and scares all the birds.

We left the fin whale still near Salmon Bank and headed out to Hein Bank again to see if we could see any more Southern Resident orcas. While we didn't find orcas, we did spot a few more Dall's porpoise, as well as humpback whale that was headed West! We then aimed back for San Juan Island and found a few whale watching boats with almost all the L12s as they headed slowly North at Edwards Point towards Lime Kiln State Park. Of course, the L12s seem to have this rule that they rarely go further North than Lime Kiln State Park so they stopped, milled about off of Edwards Point, and then turned back South. As they milled, Matia L77 spy hopped and males Mega L41, Mystery L85, and Solstice L89 draped kelp over their tall dorsal fins. Once they had committed to going back South, the orcas got very active with tail slaps (at least Mega L41 and Solstice L89), inverted tail slaps (Solstice L89), cartwheels (Mystery L85), breaches (at least Solstice L89, maybe Mega L41 too), and more spy hops. Ocean Sun L25 slowly brought up the rear of the group and logged on and off between tail slaps and pectoral fin slaps.

Solstice L89 breaches. He was born in 1993.

Behind the L12s were the J17s, who had turned around too, but off of Lime Kiln. The rest of J, K, and L pod had headed North in the morning during the fog. The J17s were also active as they headed back South, mainly with breaches, cartwheels, and tail slaps. Interestingly, Calypso L94 and her two offspring, Cousteau L113, and Wingsong L121, were with the J17s and Cousteau L113 was the breacher. The J17s and L12s then began to fan out off of Hannah Heights and Pile Point. Some of the J17s foraged offshore, while Mega L41, Matia L77, Mystery L85, and Joy L119 formed their own resting line.

Cousteau L113 breaches right off Land Bank, a little South of Lime Kiln. She was born in 2009.

It was starting to get late so we began our journey back to the dock. It wasn't over yet though! We soon spotted a male orca off of Smugglers Cove! It was Wave Walker L88 foraging for Chinook/King salmon! Thinking that the L54s, the matriline Wave Walker L88 travels with, were with a boat back behind us off of Bellevue Point, we turned around and went to check. It turned out the boat was with another humpback whale! We stayed with the humpback for a few minutes before heading back to Wave Walker L88, who now had Keta L117 (from the L54 matriline) with him.

Humpback whale #2!

After a few minutes with Wave Walker L88 and Keta L117, we said our goodbyes and motored home. The next day, the J17s and L54s headed North past Stuart Island, while the rest of J pod, all of K pod, and the L4s, L26s, L43s, and L47s came South down Rosario. The L12s were also still around and hung out at San Juan Island. What an amazing day full of multiple types of cetaceans!! A fin whale, two minkes, two humpbacks, Southern Resident orcas, Dall's porpoise and harbor porpoise!!

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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L122!!! 9/7/15

9/11/2015

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On the morning of September 7th, reports came in that J, K, and L pod (the L54s may or may not have been present) were inbound at Discovery Island and that there was a new calf in L pod. Soon, the Center for Whale Researcher’s Dave Ellifrit and I were out on the water under permit to confirm the new calf. We arrived on scene off of Deadman's Bay at San Juan Island and immediately spotted the new calf, L122, tucked up next to Muncher L91. Mother and calf were milling about and Kasatka L82 and her young son Finn L116 were also foraging close by.

Muncher L91 and L122 then moved slowly North and were joined by Skagit K13, her daughter Deadhead K27, and grandson Ripple K44. The five of them then briefly porpoised North towards Bellevue Point. Muncher L91's younger brother, Mystic L115, soon joined the group and porpoised along with them while Marina L47, mother to Muncher L91 and Mystic L115 and grandmother to L122, surfaced nearby. Offshore, Scoter K25 foraged by himself. Mother and calf then split off from the group and headed offshore. Mystic L115 and Ripple K44 followed and joined them briefly again a little later. The two young males were a little rambunctious but Muncher L91 and L122 didn't seem to mind. Mystic L115 tail slapped and Ripple K44 spy hopped and then they split off to roll around with each other somewhere else. We left Muncher L91 and L122 about a mile West of Bellevue Point.

L122 with its mother, Muncher L91, who was born in 1995. Photo taken under NMFS Permit 15569/ DFO SARA 272. Do not use without permission.

We found Skagit K13 and her adult son Scoter K25 next as they foraged off the Center for Whale Research. The two of them then headed South and were joined by Skagit K13's other son, Cali K34. Deadhead K27 was also nearby. Skagit K13 tail slapped a few times and we soon left the four of them still Southbound off of Bellevue Point and headed down island to see who else we could find. We passed Mike J26 off of Hannah Heights and also passed by Doubelstuf J34 and Nigel L95 as they foraged off of Kanaka Bay. We then found Tika K33 and his mother, Sekiu K22, as they slowly headed South off of False Bay.

We then aimed offshore toward Hein Bank and found super spread out orcas headed Southwest. We spotted Cappuccino K21 foraging off by himself first, then young males Notch J47 and Kelp K42 messing around together with Lea K14, Lobo K26, and Yoda K36 nearby. Further offshore, we found Matia L77, and then Samish J14, Suttles J40, Pooka L106, and Joy L119 in a social group. Adult male Solstice L89 soon joined them. Suttles J40 tail slapped and young male Pooka L106 flirted with her. We then found Blackberry J27, Mako J39, Se-Yi'-Chn J45, and Surprise L86 socializing nearby. Mako J39 tail slapped and Blackberry J27 showed off his sea snake.

We then headed over to another small group in the distance, which was made up of Shachi J19, Tsuchi J31, Eclipse J41, and J51. We then found Pooka L106 and Suttles J40 again, and Ti'lem I'nges J49 had joined them. Nearby, Princess Angeline J17, Polaris J28, Moby J44, and Star J46 surfaced together. Lobo K26 also popped up again, and so did Notch J47 and Kelp K42, with Tahlequah J35 nearby.

J51, born in February of 2015, with his mother, Eclipse J41, who born in 2005. Photo taken under NMFS Permit 15569/ DFO SARA 272. Do not use without permission.

All the orcas were still very spread out and heading slowly Southwest of Hein Bank when we ended our encounter with Sequim K12, Rainshadow K37, and Saturna K43 as they milled about loosely a bit North of the other orcas. Though they had all come in that morning, all the orcas seemed like they were leaving the area again through the Strait of Juan De Fuca. What a special encounter with the new addition L122!! Hopefully we will all get to watch him/her grow up (and old!) over the coming years.

Please do not use these photos without permission first. Just ask.

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K Pod On 9/5/15 And J Pod On 9/6/15

9/11/2015

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September is still proving to be my favorite month for orca encounters. On the 4th, all of J, K and L pod was around San Juan Island but the K13s ended up heading North for the Fraser River by themselves. Aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions the next day, we headed up at Turn Point on Stuart Island to see K pod (minus the K16s and Cappuccino K21). The K13s had come back down Boundary Pass and the K12s and K14s had headed up the pass to meet them. Once all three matrilines were together, they headed back South for San Juan Island and past Turn Point.

The orcas were in a very active mood as they traveled together in a loose group with breaches (Scoter K25, Cali K34, Yoda K36, and Comet K38), tail slaps (Skagit K13, Scoter K25, Tika K33, Comet K38, and others), inverted tail slaps (Lobo K26, Comet K38, Kelp K42, and others), cartwheels (Comet K38 and others), pec slaps, dorsal fin slaps (Comet K38 and others), spy hops (Deadhead K27 and Ripple K44), and aerial scans (Scoter K25). Towards the end of the trip, young males Ripple K44, born in 2011, and Kelp K42, born in 2008, fooled around and Kelp K42 showed off his seasnake. On our way back to the dock, we also saw a humpback in Spieden Channel!

Yoda K36 breaches. She was born in 2003.

Scoter K25 in mid aerial scan. He was born in 1991.

Ripple K44 spy hops while fooling around with Kelp K42, whose tail fluke is poking out of the water to the left.

Humpback in Spieden Channel!

The next day, the Odyssey had Southern Residents again, but this time it was J pod headed down Rosario Strait. K and L pod were exiting the area through the Strait of Juan De Fuca while this was happening. When we first got on scene the orcas were all in one group, except for the J16s who were in the lead further South. The orcas were in an active and social mood with breaches (Suttles J40 and others), back dives (Doublestuf J34 and J52), tail slaps (Shachi J19, Oreo J22, Doublestuf J34, Suttles J40, Moby J44, J52, and others), inverted tail slaps (Shachi J19 and others), cartwheels (Polaris J28 and others), pec slaps (Shachi J19, Polaris J28, Suttles J40, and others), dorsal fin slaps, spy hops (Polaris J28, Doublestuf J34, Suttles J40, Moby J44, J52, and others), and aerial scans (Cookie J38). The orcas then started to fan out into different social groups and males Cookie J38, Moby J44, and Onyx L87 got to together for some bro time. Both Cookie J38 and Onyx L87 had their sea snakes parading around at one point.

We also visited some of the J16s for a bit and J52 (born in March of 2015) was practicing some moves near his mother, Alki J36, and uncle Mike J26. J52 tail slapped so many times that I lost count and he also spy hopped multiple times. He even did a sort of lunge/back dive. At the end of the encounter we paralleled a rambunctious social group made up of Samish J14, Oreo J22, Polaris J28, Doublestuf J34, Hy'shqa J37, Se-Y'-Chn J45, Star J46, and Ti'lem I'nges J49. Suttles J40 did at least six half breaches, Polaris J28 cartwheeled and pec slapped, and Doublestuf J34 spy hopped so high (and fast!) that his dorsal fin made it out of the water! What an amazing trip!

Doublestuf J34 back dives. He was born in 1998.

Suttles J40 in mid half breach. She was born in 2004.

And then, September became even more awesome with the discovery of ANOTHER new little addition to the Southern Resident community. Stay tuned!

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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Southern Residents On 8/28/15 And 9/2/15

9/5/2015

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Out on the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions on August 28th, we left Friday Harbor, headed down San Juan Channel, out Cattle Pass, and up to Pile Point off the West side of the island to see all of L pod (all of J and K pod was around too but they headed North for the Fraser River again). Once we got on scene, almost everybody in L pod promptly decided to come over to the boat and surround us. There was no time to get out of the way so we sat tight and waited for them to move on. Racer L72 cartwheeled right off the stern while Marina L47, Moonlight L83, Ballena L90, Muncher L91, Crewser L92, Fluke L105, Midnight L110, and Mystic L115 passed by on the right side of the boat. On the other side, Ino L54, Nugget L55, Kasatka L82, Surprise L86, Lapis L103, Pooka L106, Keta L117, and a few others surfaced. Many of the orcas did move on and got a little active with breaches and cartwheels inshore of us, but others, like Spirit L22, Mystery L85, and Solstice L89, milled about near the boat. Nigel L95 also hung out near us for a bit as he foraged for Chinook/King salmon.

Moonlight L83, born in 1990.

Crewser L92, born in 1995.

The next day, which was incredibly stormy, J and K pod were on their way back down to San Juan Island from the Fraser River and L pod (I'm not sure if everybody in the pod was present or not) surfed the rough seas along the island. On the 30th, all of J, K, and L pod headed for San Juan from the Strait of Juan De Fuca and J and K pod ended up going North for the Fraser again while L pod stayed around the island. On the 31st, L pod was outbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca for the open ocean.

On September 2nd, L pod (not sure if the L54s were included) returned to the island. That morning, I stood along the cliffs near my house and watched as the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 headed North past me, then turned around, and swam back South. It was going to be "West side shuffle" kind of day for them. As the orcas turned to head back South, Kasatka L82 breached twice, Moonlight L83 tail slapped and dorsal fin slapped multiple times, and Surprise L86 rolled over in an inverted tail slap and pectoral fin slap. Once they had all passed by and were off in the distance to the South of me, they got even more active with tons of breaches, even multiple double breaches!

Kasatka L82 breaches. She was born in 1990.

Later that day, I headed out to the cliffs again to see the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 as they swam by the shoreline once more. They were still in a very active/playful mood. Moonlight L83 breached, cartwheeled, pectoral fin slapped, and dorsal fin slapped multiple times. Young males Midnight L110 and Finn L116 were goofing off together and Finn L116 breached, back dived, rolled, pectoral fin slapped, and tail slapped repeatedly. Offshore of them, Jade L118 breached too.

Finn L116, born in 2010, back dives next to Midnight L110, born in 2007.

Finn L116 tail slaps.

Finn L116 breaches.

The next day (September 3rd), J and K pod finally appeared near the Fraser River after their vanishing act on the evening of the 30th when they headed North. L pod, now including the L54s but minus the L12s, who were down near Smith Island, headed North and eventually met up with J and K pod in Boundary Pass. Wow! It's been super amazing with all of the Southern Residents in the area multiple days recently. September is going to be awesome!

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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Southern Residents All Day Long On 8/26/15

9/3/2015

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On August 26th, I headed over to Lime Kiln State Park on the West side of San Juan Island to see all of J and K pod, plus Onyx L87. In the lead and first to pass by the park's shoreline was Skagit K13 and her adult son Scoter K25. Soon after, more members of the K13 matriline went by: Deadhead K27 and her young son Ripple K44. Granny J2, Sequim K12, Spock K20, Rainshadow K37, and Comet K38 were next in the procession past the park and Sequim K12 breached while Granny J2 and Comet K38 tail slapped. Then the huge group came into view and it contained everybody else that made up J and K pod. This group was VERY active with tons of tail slaps, inverted tail slaps, pec slaps, dorsal fin slaps, breaches, and back dives! Some of the orcas also went into the kelp beds and playfully draped kelp over their dorsal fins. As the huge group swam by right off the rocks, I could see some of them underwater, including the J16 matriline (Slick J16, Mike J26, Alki J36, Echo J42, J50, and J52)!

Somebody back dives right off the rocks at Lime Kiln.

Here they come!

Mike J26, born in 1991, surfaces next to the kelp beds that run along the park's shoreline.

Onyx L87, born in 1992, exhales a rainbow.

Once past Lime Kiln, J and K pod continued on their way North for the Fraser River. More orcas, members of L pod, were behind them in the procession. However, they stopped right before the park at Deadman's Bay, got very active for a bit, mainly with breaches, and then headed back South. To see if it was all of L pod and thus still a superpod (as it had been the day prior) I headed South to the cliffs near my house to see the Ls as they filed past. They were pretty spread out, with some in close to shore and others way far offshore, and some were still in a active mood.

Solstice L89 arrived at the cliffs first with his mother Spirit L22 and the two of them milled back in forth for a hit and they foraged for Chinook/King salmon. Mega L41 appeared far offshore as he headed South. Calypso L94, Cousteau L113, Joy L119, and L121 came by next, with Ocean Sun L25 and Matia L77 offshore of them. Way far offshore, Crewser L92 cartwheeled. Then came Racer L72 and her son Fluke L105, with some of the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 (who breached and back dived a few times) offshore of them. Bringing up the rear was Mystery L85 and Ballena L90, traveling closely together like they had been on August 24th while I was out with the Center for Whale Research. The L pod members I didn't see go by the cliffs were the L54s, as well as Wave Walker L88 and Nyssa L84, who closely associate with the L54s. Had they left?

Calypso L94 with her son L121, who was born in February of 2015.

That evening I was invited out on the water with some friends and we found Nugget L55, Kasatka L82 (breached mutliple times), Lapis L103, and Finn L116 back near Lime Kiln with Nigel L95 as they slowly headed back South. We continued South and then offshore, spotting some Steller sea lions and harbor porpoises along the way, and eventually spotted the Racer L72 and Fluke L105 out near Discovery Island in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Off closer to Discovery, Mystery L85 and Ballena L90 traveled side by side like they had been doing earlier in the day.

Another male surfaced far off in the distance ahead of us and he turned out to be Nyssa L84, which probably meant Wave Walker L88 and the L54s were still around! Way off to our left, Matia L77 surfaced and Solstice L89 popped up way ahead of us. These Ls were very spread out. We then headed over to some active individuals and they turned out to be Ocean Sun L25, Calypso L94, and L121. Mega L41 was also nearby. At one point Ocean Sun L25 swam by the boat and L121 surfaced in her slip stream a few times. After a few minutes of being babysat by Ocean Sun L15, Calypso L94 surfaced close by and L121 returned to his mother's side.

Ocean Sun L25, born around 1928, with L121 in her slip stream.

All the orcas were pointed West like they were planning on leaving the area for the open ocean. As we started to make our way towards home, we also spotted a humpback whale near Constance Bank! We watched the whale for a few surfacing before heading back to the dock. At some point that night or maybe early the next morning, the orcas decided to turn around because all of L pod was back off of San Juan Island the next day, while J and K pod was up North near the Fraser River. What an awesome cetacean filled day!

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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A Crazy Morning With The J17s On 9/12/15

A Day Full Of Cetaceans On 9/9/15

L122!!! 9/7/15

K Pod On 9/5/15 And J Pod On 9/6/15

Southern Residents On 8/28/15 And 9/2/15

Southern Residents All Day Long On 8/26/15

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