I arrived back home on the island for summer break on the morning of June 9th, and just a few hours later, I was standing on the shoreline watching salmon eating southern resident orcas head down island from Lime Kiln State Park. It was some of J pod and the K16s. Opus K16 came closest to shore, while Cappuccino K21 was the furthest individual from shore. Princess Angeline J17 was in the lead with her daughter J53 and son Moby J44. In order of my photos, next in the procession were Shachi J19, Slick J16, Scarlet J50, Echo J42, Eclipse J41, Nova J51, Mike J26, Tahlequah J35, Cappuccino K21, Alki J36, Sonic J52, Opus K16, Sonata K35, Doublestuf J34, Oreo J22, Tsuchi J31, Polaris J28, J54, and Star J46. Somewhere out there was Blackberry J27, Cookie J38, and Mako J39 too I bet, perhaps even further offshore then Cappuccino K21.
Opus K16 surfaces close to shore at Lime Kiln State Park.
Later that evening, the J14s, K12s, K14s, and Onyx L87 came in from Juan De Fuca Strait, met up with the other Js and Ks and they all headed north to check on the salmon situation at the Fraser River. On the 10th, J pod, the K12s, K14s, and K16s made their way back down from the Fraser and were outbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca on the 11th. Some Ls were also in the strait at that time and they met up with Js and Ks and then everyone continued for the open ocean.
Since the 11th, the southern residents have been absent from the inland waters when they would normally be in for quite a bit of the time. While I do miss them very much, I know that the best thing for J, K, and L pod right now is for them to be out in the open ocean and not in the inland waters. The Fraser River cannot support them right now but perhaps salmon runs off the outer coast can.
On the evening of June 16th, I looked out my front window near False Bay to see the T101s approaching. They had been working their way towards San Juan Island all day after first being spotted near Sooke in Juan De Fuca Strait. Once they were off the mouth of False Bay, the family of four marine mammal eating transient orcas turned and headed up island. I watched from a beach near my house as they all popped up very close to shore in a tight group.
Since the 11th, the southern residents have been absent from the inland waters when they would normally be in for quite a bit of the time. While I do miss them very much, I know that the best thing for J, K, and L pod right now is for them to be out in the open ocean and not in the inland waters. The Fraser River cannot support them right now but perhaps salmon runs off the outer coast can.
On the evening of June 16th, I looked out my front window near False Bay to see the T101s approaching. They had been working their way towards San Juan Island all day after first being spotted near Sooke in Juan De Fuca Strait. Once they were off the mouth of False Bay, the family of four marine mammal eating transient orcas turned and headed up island. I watched from a beach near my house as they all popped up very close to shore in a tight group.
T101 and her son T102.
From there, I drove up island to Land Bank and saw them for a few surfacings. T101 and T102 were further offshore now while T101A and T101B were still close to shore. I then drove to Lime Kiln State Park further up island again to see them one more time as they passed by. T101 and T102 had moved even further offshore while T101A and T101B still remained closer to shore.
There have been a lot of transients around this summer so far. While it is always great to see them, one has to wonder if the southern residents are OK, wherever they are.
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.
