J And K Pod Encounter On 11/25/14

On November 25th, a few days into my Thanksgiving break back on San Juan Island, reports came in that J and K pod were exiting Puget Sound through Admiralty Inlet. Anxious to see if it was all of J and K pod, or if there were any new calves, some friends and I headed out to try to find the orcas. We left Snug Harbor on San Juan, and aimed for Dungeness Spit and Sequim Bay. The weather wasn't the best, dark with intermittent rain, but that water was flat as can be. Once we were in front of the Dungeness Spit lighthouse we turned off the boat and listened. No blows to be heard. We backtracked a little and then headed towards Whidbey Island for a bit. Just when we didn't think we would find the orcas, I spotted a large splash from a breach on the horizon towards Eastern Bank. We aimed in that direction and soon spotted many dorsal fins spread out in front of us as they headed northwest.

Straight travel path = transiting. . . Squiggly travel path = on scene with orcas

Onyx L87 chases after a salmon. He was born in 1992.

The first group of orcas we identified was made up of Samish J14, Shachi J19, Tahlequah J35, Hy'shqa J37, Suttles J40, Eclipse J41, Se-Yi'-Chn J45, Ti'lem I'nges J49, Lea K14, Opus K16, Sonata K35, Yoda K36, and Kelp K42. There was lots of energetic foraging/chasing from this group and we even saw Ti'lem I'nges J49 spy hop/back dive out of the water with a salmon in his mouth, which was a first for me. The group was also socializing quite a bit with lots of rolling, splashes, and flirting. Opus K16 breached a few times, Sonata K35 belly flopped twice, and Lea K14 tail slapped multiple times. Onyx L87 joined this group periodically but also went off to forage by Lobo K26, who at one pointed breached high out the water twice. When Onyx L87 went off foraging he seemed to chasing salmon around quite a bit, which made me feel hopeful that these orcas were at least finding some salmon to eat.

Opus K16, born in 1985, breaches.

Sonata K35 in mid belly flop. He was born in 2002.

There were more orcas in the distance so we headed over to see who they were. This next group was made up of  Slick J16, Mike J26, Alki J36, Sequim K12, Sekiu K22, Tika K33, Rainshadow K37, and Saturna K43. While we were with them, Slick J16 breached multiple times and so did Mike J26. Rainshadow K37 is an orca I never really see, though I do encounter his family a lot, so it was great to finally spot him. He will start sprouting within the next few years, just like Tika K33 has, and man is Tika getting big!

Rainshadow K37, born in 2003.

Tika K33, born in 2001.

Mike J26 breaches high out of the water. He was born in 1991.

Another small group of orcas was splashing nearby and we soon had their ID's. It was Granny J2, and young males Cookie J38, Comet K38, and Ripple K44. Granny J2 would surface and the three males would be right on her tail or at her sides, rolling around, goofing off, and Comet K38 even showed off his sea snake at one point. She didn't seem to be engaging the youngsters but maybe she was doing so underwater. Ripple K44 has three new (small) nicks on the trailing edge of his dorsal fin that he acquired recently, and they seem to be healing up, but he does look a bit scuffed up on and around his dorsal fin.

Cookie J38, born in 2003, plays with kelp beside Granny J2, born around 1911.

Spock K20 was off foraging by herself close by and Skagit K13 and/or Deadhead K27 was off in the distance doing the same. Far off to the north was a lone male, which after quite a bit of searching in the low visibility turned out to be Cappuccino K21. We did not see any of the J11's, or the rest of the J17's and J22's, though I do believe that they were there somewhere.

After hanging with Cappuccino K21 for a short time, Slick J16, Mike J26, Alki J36, Sequim K12, and Rainshadow K37 approached from the south, followed by others like Shachi J19, who breached as she swam past us. All were moving at a quick pace, but the others behind them were moving even quicker. Members of first group (Samish J14, Tahlequah J35, Hy'shqa J37, Suttles J40, Se-Yi'-Chn J45, Ti'lem I'nges J49, Lea K14, Opus K16, Sonata K35, Yoda K36, Kelp K42) as well as Sekiu K22, Tika K33, and Saturna K43 suddenly came into view along the horizon behind us. They had all lined up and were speed swimming or porpoising along at a pretty good clip towards us. Shoulder to shoulder, they all surfaced high out of the water together, which created large splashes. I had never seen anything like it before. Why were they in such a hurry? They were aiming in a northwesterly direction, towards Victoria. What was over there for them? I wondered if L pod was inbound and if J and K pod had heard them and were rushing over to reunite with them.

Their quick approach took us by surprise and they were soon closing in on us. We didn't want to be unpredictable when they were moving at that speed so we stayed put and held our breath. They all rushed past on both sides of the boat and one orca, Saturna K43 even splashed me as she zoomed by. They continued on at the same speed, even after we left to head back to San Juan Island. Another boat reported that J and K pod got to Constance Bank and then headed west in the Juan De Fuca Strait, porpoising along with an occasional break to forage. Were they just in hurry to get to the open ocean, or was it possible they were meeting up with L pod?

Cappuccino K21 forages off by himself, something I have seen a lot of the adult males do.

Here they come!

Tika K33 porpoises toward us.

By morning, J and K pod were back, and L pod was with them! All seventy eight Southern Resident orcas were now headed for Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound. What an amazing encounter with J and K pod!

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