Resident Orcas From 8/19/14 T0 8/27/14

I've got some catching up to do! On the 19th, J and K pod headed North up the West side of San Juan Island for the Fraser River in Canada, a good place to hunt for salmon. Accompanying them, especially the K12's, was the Pacific white sided dolphin that has seemingly adopted the resident orcas. While J and K pod swam North, all of L pod (minus the L12's) kept to San Juan Island, shuffling up and down the West side and South end.

The next day, J and K pod were at the Fraser River but began to make their way back South again. L pod started to head for the open ocean through the Strait of Juan De Fuca but then the orcas changed their minds and turned around, aiming back for San Juan Island. On the 21st, J pod was back at the Fraser, while K pod had split off from J and returned to San Juan Island. L pod then decided to officially leave for the open ocean.

The next morning, J pod was not at the Fraser, but in Swanson Channel, headed right back to the Fraser. However, that night, the pod turned around again and headed South. On the morning of the 23rd, J pod was headed out the Strait of Juan De Fuca for the open ocean but the orcas turned around and were back at San Juan Island a few hours before sunset. That evening, I headed to some cliffs near my house to see the orcas as they socialized and hunted for salmon along the coast line. Two females named Alki J36 and Tsuchi J31 were closest to me, while Rhapsody J32 was a little further out, breaching occasionally, and Mike J26 was really far offshore. At one point Alki did a big spy hop.

Alki J36 spy hops. She was born in 1999.

On the 24th, I spent almost my entire day watching the orcas from shore. At about eight in the morning, I heard loud exhales as the orcas headed South past the house. At twelve, I saw Group A of J pod (plus the J22's, minus J16's and L87) and nearly all of K pod (just missing the K21 crew) swim North past the house in a big resting line. But where was Group B of J pod, the J16's or L87? Soon after, I watched the same orcas from Lime Kiln State Park for about an hour as they continued North. In the lead was matriarch Granny J2, born around 1911.

Granny J2 in the lead!

At around four, I returned to Lime Kiln and saw Group B (including the J16's and L87), the K21 crew, AND L pod (probably minus the L12's and L54's) swim North. Had L pod come in the night before?? Then, the orcas then all turned around and came back South, except for Group A of J pod and K pod. They were headed for the Fraser River.

One unfortunate thing happened during this Lime Kiln encounter: the behavior from private boaters and purse seiners was pretty bad. Nearly every vessel literally drove right over/through the orcas at a good speed or was within the 200 yard restriction, which applies to all vessels (including kayaks). Whether the operators knew the laws or not, who knows. Luckily, no J, K, or L pod member was harmed. I hope that next time these people are on the water, they view the orcas from the correct and respectful distance. To learn more about how to watch the orcas respectfully out on the water, click here.

Towards the end of the encounter, the J17's and L47's came right up to the shoreline and played in the kelp just a few feet away. I returned home a few minutes before seven and had ended up seeing around sixty four of the seventy eight Southern Resident orcas.

Princess Angeline J17, born in 1977, spy hops as a private boater approaches at speed (just out of frame).

Notch J47, born in 2010, dives as a private boater comes close to driving right over him.

Mystic L115, born in 2010, pokes his head out of the water close to shore.

Marina L47, born in 1974, tail slaps while playing with kelp, which is wrapped around her dorsal fin.

Marina with kelp wrapped around her dorsal fin.

Polaris J28, born in 1993, surfaces close to shore.

On the 25th, Group B of J pod (plus L87) and L pod left for the open ocean, while Group A of J pod (plus the J22's and maybe the J16's) and K pod stayed far North. The next day, Group A and K pod were surprisingly even further North, all the way up near Campbell River in Canada. However, they were headed South and could reappear around San Juan Island during the next few days. On the 27th, Group B of J pod (plus L87) and L pod (probably minus the L12's and L54's) returned to San Jan Island. Back on the cliffs near my house I could see the J17's and L43's foraging and socializing together. At one point, sprouter male Nigel L95 was showing off his sea snake to Polaris J28!

This is the second time that Onyx L87 has split from Group A and traveled with other Southern Resident matrilines. I wonder if this will turn into a regular thing for him?

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