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