On the day that my last encounter took place (the 13th), J pod exited the area during the night and was no where to be seen the next day. However, early in the morning on the 15th, I woke up to reports of orcas at Sooke, BC and that they were headed East for San Juan Island. These orcas turned out to be J pod, ALL of J pod! It took a few hours for them to make their way to Discovery Island and cross Haro Strait and end up on the West side of the San Juan (partly because they were swimming against the ebbing tide) but I eventually picked them up in my binoculars as I sat on shore. As J pod crossed Haro, they nearly swam right into two transient orca matrilines known as the T065A's and T124A's . The T124A's ended up turning around and quickly heading the opposite direction once (maybe because they figured out that the residents were nearby) while the T065A's ducked into Oak Bay, near Victoria. There seems to be a rule between these two different species of orca, which is that they do not interact with each other in any way. They continued to stand by this rule.
As J pod made their way across Haro Strait, they became very active with tail slaps, breaches, cartwheels and other behaviors. Once they were at San Juan Island, the pod settled down and split into Group A and B. This splitting into two groups began a few years ago. Normally this is how the groups are made up, but this year has been a little different.
As J pod made their way across Haro Strait, they became very active with tail slaps, breaches, cartwheels and other behaviors. Once they were at San Juan Island, the pod settled down and split into Group A and B. This splitting into two groups began a few years ago. Normally this is how the groups are made up, but this year has been a little different.
| Group A contains:
Onyx is an L pod member but travels with Granny. | Group B contains:
|
These orcas are known to switch between Group A and B. |
This year, the J22's (Oreo, Doublestuf, Cookie, and Rhapsody) and sometimes the J11's (Blackberry, Tsuchi, and Mako) have switched to traveling with Group A, while the J17's (Princess Angeline J17, Polaris J28, Tahlequah J35, Moby J44, Star J46, Notch J47) have gone off on their own. The J16's (Slick, Mike, Alki, and Echo) have been almost exclusively with Group A too.
On this day, Group A was the J14's (Granny, Onyx, Samish, Hy'shqa, Suttles, Se-Yi'-Chn, and Ti'lem I'nges) and J19's (Shachi and Eclipse) as usual, but Blackberry was with them, specifically traveling beside Samish. I saw him doing this on the 13th too! Group A swam North up the West side of the island, while Group B (the J16's, J17's, and J22's) headed South down the island. I caught up with Group A at Lime Kiln State Park as they came close to shore.
On this day, Group A was the J14's (Granny, Onyx, Samish, Hy'shqa, Suttles, Se-Yi'-Chn, and Ti'lem I'nges) and J19's (Shachi and Eclipse) as usual, but Blackberry was with them, specifically traveling beside Samish. I saw him doing this on the 13th too! Group A swam North up the West side of the island, while Group B (the J16's, J17's, and J22's) headed South down the island. I caught up with Group A at Lime Kiln State Park as they came close to shore.
Granny was in the lead! Still looking good at the estimated age of 103 years old.
Granny's unique dorsal fin shape, nick, and saddle patch.
Blackberry following Samish, who was just a head of him.
Shachi surfaces high out of the water.
Se-Yi'-Chn swims beside his mother Samish.
Eclipse increases her speed to catch up with her mom Shachi.
I was unable to catch up with Group B as they continued South but I did manage to listen and record them as they vocalized on the live streaming hydrophones in the evening. I should also note that most of L pod was also spotted near Sooke on this day but they turned around and exited the area. Still, maybe a visit from L pod is in the near future?
Please do not use my photos without permission. Just ask :)
Please do not use my photos without permission. Just ask :)
