On August 6th, the Center for Whale Researcher’s Dave Ellifrit and I headed out on the water under permit to have an encounter with J and K pod and to see if we could find Mako J39. He had been photographed with fishing gear in his mouth a few days prior and we wanted to see if he still had the gear in his mouth. We found our first orcas, Skagit K13, Lobo K26, and Sonata K35, a few miles Southwest of Eagle Point. Lobo K26 then split off and headed inshore to socialize with other orcas while Sonata K35 and Skagit K13 stayed together, with Sonata K35 being very flirtatious and showing off his sea snake to her.
We then headed inshore were there were two large social groups and a few smaller ones scattered around. The first large group was made up of at least Mike J26, Polaris J28, Star J46, Lea K14, Spock K20, Lobo K26 (who then left for another group again), Deadhead K27, Yoda K36, Rainshadow K37, Comet K38, and Onyx L87. We scanned the other large group for Mako J39 but did not see him. Some orcas in this other large group were Alki J36, Hy’shqa J37, Eclipse J41, J51, J52, and Opus K16.
We checked another nearby group and found Granny J2, Oreo J22, Sequim K12, and Saturna K43 (who was full of tail slaps), with Doublestuf J34 and Lobo K26 having bro time a little further offshore of them. No Mako J39 so off we went to check out other groups. Instead of milling about, pretty much everybody was Northbound in their groups now. We found members from both of the previous large groups we had seen already again, as well as a few orcas we had not seen yet. At one point, Hy’shqa J37 lifted her head out of the water and balanced a small strand of kelp on top of her rostrum. Tsuchi J31, Mako J39’s sister, was nearby with Shachi J19, Skagit K13, Spock K20, and Comet K38. Tsuchi J31 and Comet K38 tail slapped multiple times and Spock K20 breached once.
After checking a few more social groups, one being made up of Mike J26, Lobo K26, and Rainshadow K37 having bro time, we headed far offshore to look for Mako J39 and finally found him with Cappuccino K21 traveling North. Blackberry J27, Mako’s older brother, was paralleling them further offshore. Mako J39 breached once, which let us get a good look at his mouth and see that there was no fishing gear hanging from it. He then left Cappuccino K21 and began to forage/zigzag around a couple of miles off of False Bay.
While still trying to get shots of Mako J39, we found Slick J16, Echo J42, and J50 as they traveled slowly North. We then saw Mike J26 and Rainshadow K37 rolling around together. While waiting for them to come back up from a deep dive, I could hear whistles that sounded like they were very close and was confused on whether it was coming from a nearby whale watching boat's hydrophone. I then looked to my left and Rainshadow K37’s face was just below the water next to the boat and I understood then that he was the one whistling! He and Mike J26 then surfaced right off the now and continued goofing off. We then went back to Mako J39 and tried to get a few more shots of him while he foraged.
We then headed inshore were there were two large social groups and a few smaller ones scattered around. The first large group was made up of at least Mike J26, Polaris J28, Star J46, Lea K14, Spock K20, Lobo K26 (who then left for another group again), Deadhead K27, Yoda K36, Rainshadow K37, Comet K38, and Onyx L87. We scanned the other large group for Mako J39 but did not see him. Some orcas in this other large group were Alki J36, Hy’shqa J37, Eclipse J41, J51, J52, and Opus K16.
We checked another nearby group and found Granny J2, Oreo J22, Sequim K12, and Saturna K43 (who was full of tail slaps), with Doublestuf J34 and Lobo K26 having bro time a little further offshore of them. No Mako J39 so off we went to check out other groups. Instead of milling about, pretty much everybody was Northbound in their groups now. We found members from both of the previous large groups we had seen already again, as well as a few orcas we had not seen yet. At one point, Hy’shqa J37 lifted her head out of the water and balanced a small strand of kelp on top of her rostrum. Tsuchi J31, Mako J39’s sister, was nearby with Shachi J19, Skagit K13, Spock K20, and Comet K38. Tsuchi J31 and Comet K38 tail slapped multiple times and Spock K20 breached once.
After checking a few more social groups, one being made up of Mike J26, Lobo K26, and Rainshadow K37 having bro time, we headed far offshore to look for Mako J39 and finally found him with Cappuccino K21 traveling North. Blackberry J27, Mako’s older brother, was paralleling them further offshore. Mako J39 breached once, which let us get a good look at his mouth and see that there was no fishing gear hanging from it. He then left Cappuccino K21 and began to forage/zigzag around a couple of miles off of False Bay.
While still trying to get shots of Mako J39, we found Slick J16, Echo J42, and J50 as they traveled slowly North. We then saw Mike J26 and Rainshadow K37 rolling around together. While waiting for them to come back up from a deep dive, I could hear whistles that sounded like they were very close and was confused on whether it was coming from a nearby whale watching boat's hydrophone. I then looked to my left and Rainshadow K37’s face was just below the water next to the boat and I understood then that he was the one whistling! He and Mike J26 then surfaced right off the now and continued goofing off. We then went back to Mako J39 and tried to get a few more shots of him while he foraged.
J50, born in December of 2014, with her mother, Slick J16, who was born around 1972. Photo taken under NMFS Permit 15569/ DFO SARA 272. Do not use without permission.
We then went inshore to a large social group that was milling right off of Pile Point. This group was made up the J14s and J19s, Polaris J28, Tahlequah J35, Alki J36, Moby J44, Star J46, Notch J47, J52, Sekiu K22, Tika K33, Moby J44, and Opus K16, with Scoter K25 and Sonata K35 milling offshore of them. Suttles J40 was tossing J51 around and most of the other orcas were in a playful mood as well with tail slaps, rolling, breaching, pectoral fin slaps, etc. Young males Moby J44, Notch J47, and Ti’lem I’nges J49 then broke off from the group to join Tika K33 and Sonata K35 and all five of them had bro time together. Most of the large group continued to mill and socialize in close to shore between Pile Point and Hannah Heights.
Moby J44 breaches. He was born in 2009. Photo taken under NMFS Permit 15569/ DFO SARA 272. Do not use without permission.
We then saw Shachi J19, Tsuchi J31, Cappuccino K21, and a few others coming back towards us from the North and they joined the large milling group. There was more rolling, socializing, spy peeps, tail slaps, and logging at the surface. Some of the orcas were even making above water vocalizations! We then headed back offshore and found Sequim K12 and Saturna K43 again, heading slowly north. Not far away from them was Mike J26, Mako J39, Skagit K13, and Rainshadow K37. Mike J26 was flirting with Skagit K13, who tail slapped many times and pectoral fin slapped. Mako J39 and Rainshadow K37 then soon ditched the other two and swam off to wrestle around. The two young males were active with splashes, tail slaps, rolling, and breaches. They eventually split up and we motored North to find more orcas.
Skagit K13, born around 1972, tail slaps as Mike J26 (dorsal tip) and Mako J39 dive. Photo taken under NMFS Permit 15569/ DFO SARA 272. Do not use without permission.
Just south of Bellevue Point, we found the K13s and Yoda K36 heading slowly North. A little behind them were all of the K12s, who were also moving North but faster than the K13s. There was another large group further North of them in Andrews Bay so we headed up to that group. It was the J22s, Hy’shqa J37, Ti’lem I’nges J49, and the rest of the K14s besides Yoda K36. The K12s had also caught up to them and were now close by. We ended our encounter as the orcas headed North off the South end of Mitchell Bay.
The next day, some Js and Ks left the area through the Strait of Juan De Fuca while the K12s and K13s were up near the Fraser River. On the 8th, the K12s and K13s were back at San Juan Island while J, the rest of K, and almost all of L pod was inbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The next day, everyone except for the L54s was back in the area. The L12s remained at the island while J, K and the rest of L pod (minus the L12s and L54s) headed North.
Please do not use these photos without permission. Just ask.
The next day, some Js and Ks left the area through the Strait of Juan De Fuca while the K12s and K13s were up near the Fraser River. On the 8th, the K12s and K13s were back at San Juan Island while J, the rest of K, and almost all of L pod was inbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The next day, everyone except for the L54s was back in the area. The L12s remained at the island while J, K and the rest of L pod (minus the L12s and L54s) headed North.
Please do not use these photos without permission. Just ask.
