The Southern Resident orcas have been around quite a bit since my last blog post but I attended the fourth annual Superpod event (which was awesome!) that took place here on San Juan Island last week so that put me a little behind in posting my encounters here. Thus, this post will summarize all of my recent encounters and will pretty long with lots of photos!
On July 16th, the J14s, J19s, K13s, and K14s were up North near the Fraser River in their search for Chinook/King salmon. The next day, those four matrilines were back down at San Juan Island. The J14s, J19s, and K14s then headed back North while the K13s and Onyx L87 remained at the island. On the 18th, the J14s, J19s, and K14s were back at San Juan and were joined by the J11s, J16s, J17s, and the J22s who returned to the island with Onyx L87 and the K13s in tow that evening. To find out who returned, some friends and I headed out on the water. When we departed Snug Harbor, we immediately spotted the J16s and J22s, who were headed North for Kellet Bluff on Henry Island. The orcas were in no hurry as they foraged along the bluff.
We then headed down the South end of San Juan to find the other orcas. We found them spread out offshore of South Beach, starting with Polaris J28 and Star J46, then Yoda K36 with the K13s, followed by Blackberry J27, then Lobo K26, Lea K14, and Tsuchi J31. During our encounter we also saw a minke whale (who was near Blackberry J27) and on our way home, a humpback whale popped up near Eagle Point headed South. As we passed Lime Kiln State Park we bumped into the J16s and J22s again, who had turned around since we had first seen them and were now headed South. J50, born in December of 2014 and part of the J16s, was full of breaches as she went by the park.
On July 16th, the J14s, J19s, K13s, and K14s were up North near the Fraser River in their search for Chinook/King salmon. The next day, those four matrilines were back down at San Juan Island. The J14s, J19s, and K14s then headed back North while the K13s and Onyx L87 remained at the island. On the 18th, the J14s, J19s, and K14s were back at San Juan and were joined by the J11s, J16s, J17s, and the J22s who returned to the island with Onyx L87 and the K13s in tow that evening. To find out who returned, some friends and I headed out on the water. When we departed Snug Harbor, we immediately spotted the J16s and J22s, who were headed North for Kellet Bluff on Henry Island. The orcas were in no hurry as they foraged along the bluff.
We then headed down the South end of San Juan to find the other orcas. We found them spread out offshore of South Beach, starting with Polaris J28 and Star J46, then Yoda K36 with the K13s, followed by Blackberry J27, then Lobo K26, Lea K14, and Tsuchi J31. During our encounter we also saw a minke whale (who was near Blackberry J27) and on our way home, a humpback whale popped up near Eagle Point headed South. As we passed Lime Kiln State Park we bumped into the J16s and J22s again, who had turned around since we had first seen them and were now headed South. J50, born in December of 2014 and part of the J16s, was full of breaches as she went by the park.
Sprouter male Doublestuf J34 forages off of Kellet Bluff. He was born in 1998 and is part of the J22 matriline.
Star J46 tail slaps offshore of South Beach. She was born in 2009.
Adult female Spock K20, born in 1986. She is part of the K13 matriline.
Adult male Blackberry J27 surfaces offshore of South beach. He was born in 1991.
The next day (the 19th), the J11s, J17s, J19s, and J22s spent their morning foraging off the cliffs near my house. J51, born in February of 2015 and part of the J19s, was very active with multiple spy hops/peeps, tail slaps, rolls, and many loud above water vocalizations. Just one of J51's above water vocals was close to a J pod call, while the rest sounded like baby talk. While I was watching J51 and company, the J14s, K14s, and Onyx L87 were headed North, and later in the day the K13s headed North too. That evening, the K12s, L4s, and maybe the L47s returned to the island with the J16s in tow. Even more orcas were reported but were still out West in the Strait of Juan De Fuca so my friends and I headed out on the water again to try to find them and see who they were. What if they were the L54s? Unfortunately, rough water prevented us from finding them out there so we headed back to San Juan Island and had a very cool encounter with the other orcas.
We found the J11s, J16s, J17s, J19s, J22s, and L4s in a mosh pit offshore of Andrews Bay, with the K12s inshore of them. During the moshing, Tahlequah J35, Oreo J22, and Star J46 spy hopped, a few of the juveniles (one of them maybe being Finn L116) breached multiple times, Oreo J22 played with some kelp, a few individuals tail slapped. Young males Cookie J38 and Pooka L106, who were a short distance away from the mosh pit, wrestled around together and showed off their sea snakes. Once the moshing was over, all the orcas headed South together.
We found the J11s, J16s, J17s, J19s, J22s, and L4s in a mosh pit offshore of Andrews Bay, with the K12s inshore of them. During the moshing, Tahlequah J35, Oreo J22, and Star J46 spy hopped, a few of the juveniles (one of them maybe being Finn L116) breached multiple times, Oreo J22 played with some kelp, a few individuals tail slapped. Young males Cookie J38 and Pooka L106, who were a short distance away from the mosh pit, wrestled around together and showed off their sea snakes. Once the moshing was over, all the orcas headed South together.
J51, born in February of 2015, spy peeps off of the cliffs near my house.
Oreo J22 surfaces off the cliffs near my house. She was born in 1985.
From left to right: Kasatka L82, Surprise L86, Tsuchi J31, J51, and Shachi J19 after the mosh pit.
On the 20th, the J14s, K13s, K14s, and Onyx L87 came back down to San Juan Island from the North and the L4s, J16s, and others left the area through the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The K13s then went back North. The next day, the K13s came back down to the island again while the J14s, K14s, and Onyx L7 headed back to the island from Partridge Bank and they headed North.
On the 22nd, the J11s, J16s, J17s, J19s, J22s, shuffled up and down the West side of the island. Later that day, the K12s, K16s, L4s, L26s, L43s, and L47s returned to the island and they formed a big, tight group with the J11s, J16s, J17s, J19s, and J22s right off the cliffs and slowly made their way North. Their slow travel speed also gave me enough time to catch them at two other spots to up the shoreline, including Lank Bank. Many of the orcas were in an active mood as they passed the cliffs. Slick J16, Blackberry J27, Polaris J28, Doublestuf J34, and Cookie J38 played with kelp, Tika K33, Sekiu K22, Jade L118, J50, and few others tail slapped, Tika K33 did an inverted tail slap and a pectoral fin slap, Kasatka L82 lunged past someone who was in the middle of an inverted tail slap, Opus K16 cartwheeled, others did dorsal fin and pectoral fin slaps, and some, including Shachi J19 swam by the cliffs upside down.
When I headed quickly North and caught the group again, Princess Angeline J17, Moby J44, Kasatka L82, and Finn L116 were tactile and rolled around together. J52 practiced some spy peeps and aerial scans, Tahlequah J35 spy hopped, Moonlight L83 dorsal fin slapped, and Cookie J38 tail slapped. I then headed North to Land Bank and caught them again. Most of the orcas were no longer close to shore. Tahlequah J35, Kasatka L82, Sequim K12, and a few others got into a breaching mood and there were many cartwheels from some excited individuals too. Tika K33 did an inverted tail slap again, someone was being tactile with Mystic L115, Mike J26 played with kelp, and somebody tail slapped. That evening, the J14s, K14s, and Onyx L87 came back down from the North and probably had a big party with the rest of the orcas.
On the 22nd, the J11s, J16s, J17s, J19s, J22s, shuffled up and down the West side of the island. Later that day, the K12s, K16s, L4s, L26s, L43s, and L47s returned to the island and they formed a big, tight group with the J11s, J16s, J17s, J19s, and J22s right off the cliffs and slowly made their way North. Their slow travel speed also gave me enough time to catch them at two other spots to up the shoreline, including Lank Bank. Many of the orcas were in an active mood as they passed the cliffs. Slick J16, Blackberry J27, Polaris J28, Doublestuf J34, and Cookie J38 played with kelp, Tika K33, Sekiu K22, Jade L118, J50, and few others tail slapped, Tika K33 did an inverted tail slap and a pectoral fin slap, Kasatka L82 lunged past someone who was in the middle of an inverted tail slap, Opus K16 cartwheeled, others did dorsal fin and pectoral fin slaps, and some, including Shachi J19 swam by the cliffs upside down.
When I headed quickly North and caught the group again, Princess Angeline J17, Moby J44, Kasatka L82, and Finn L116 were tactile and rolled around together. J52 practiced some spy peeps and aerial scans, Tahlequah J35 spy hopped, Moonlight L83 dorsal fin slapped, and Cookie J38 tail slapped. I then headed North to Land Bank and caught them again. Most of the orcas were no longer close to shore. Tahlequah J35, Kasatka L82, Sequim K12, and a few others got into a breaching mood and there were many cartwheels from some excited individuals too. Tika K33 did an inverted tail slap again, someone was being tactile with Mystic L115, Mike J26 played with kelp, and somebody tail slapped. That evening, the J14s, K14s, and Onyx L87 came back down from the North and probably had a big party with the rest of the orcas.
Polaris J28 in the big group off the cliffs. She was born in 1993.
Big male Crewser L92, born in 1995.
Sprouter male Tika K33 tail slaps. He was born in 2001.
Jade L118 tail slaps. She was born in 2011.
Tahlequah J35 spy hops. She was born in 1998.
Tahlequah J35 breaches off of Land Bank.
On the 23rd, the J11s, J17s, and J22s stayed at San Juan, while the J14s, J16s, J19s, K12s, K13s, K16s, L4s, L26s, L43s, and L47s went North. The K14s went north independently later in the day. The next day, everyone who went North the previous day joined the J11s, J17s, and J22s at San Juan and then everyone headed back North. On the 25th, J, K, and L pod (minus the L12s and L54s) came back down from the North. Out on the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions, we caught up with the orcas as they headed towards San Juan Island from Stuart Island. They were all very spread out. We saw the K13s first and Skagit K13 caught a salmon right off our bow! She could have called to her adult son, Scoter K25, who was nearby because he then rushed over to her and they both dove. I am inclined to think that they shared the salmon underwater. I think Comet K38 (Skagit K13's grandson) also caught a salmon a few minutes later. He then played with some kelp afterwords. Next, we saw the J19s and the K14s (and may more orcas in the distance) who were inshore of us, and then the K16s, including Cappuccino K21, passed by. We saw the K12s, L4s and L47s last.
Adult female Skagit K13 surfaces with a salmon in her mouth! She was born around 1972.
Adult male Cappuccino K21, born in 1986.
The next day (the 26th), J, K, and almost all of L pod exited the area through the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Wow! It's been crazy, but super amazing!!
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask :)
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask :)
