On August 26th, I headed over to Lime Kiln State Park on the West side of San Juan Island to see all of J and K pod, plus Onyx L87. In the lead and first to pass by the park's shoreline was Skagit K13 and her adult son Scoter K25. Soon after, more members of the K13 matriline went by: Deadhead K27 and her young son Ripple K44. Granny J2, Sequim K12, Spock K20, Rainshadow K37, and Comet K38 were next in the procession past the park and Sequim K12 breached while Granny J2 and Comet K38 tail slapped. Then the huge group came into view and it contained everybody else that made up J and K pod. This group was VERY active with tons of tail slaps, inverted tail slaps, pec slaps, dorsal fin slaps, breaches, and back dives! Some of the orcas also went into the kelp beds and playfully draped kelp over their dorsal fins. As the huge group swam by right off the rocks, I could see some of them underwater, including the J16 matriline (Slick J16, Mike J26, Alki J36, Echo J42, J50, and J52)!
Somebody back dives right off the rocks at Lime Kiln.
Here they come!
Mike J26, born in 1991, surfaces next to the kelp beds that run along the park's shoreline.
Onyx L87, born in 1992, exhales a rainbow.
Once past Lime Kiln, J and K pod continued on their way North for the Fraser River. More orcas, members of L pod, were behind them in the procession. However, they stopped right before the park at Deadman's Bay, got very active for a bit, mainly with breaches, and then headed back South. To see if it was all of L pod and thus still a superpod (as it had been the day prior) I headed South to the cliffs near my house to see the Ls as they filed past. They were pretty spread out, with some in close to shore and others way far offshore, and some were still in a active mood.
Solstice L89 arrived at the cliffs first with his mother Spirit L22 and the two of them milled back in forth for a hit and they foraged for Chinook/King salmon. Mega L41 appeared far offshore as he headed South. Calypso L94, Cousteau L113, Joy L119, and L121 came by next, with Ocean Sun L25 and Matia L77 offshore of them. Way far offshore, Crewser L92 cartwheeled. Then came Racer L72 and her son Fluke L105, with some of the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 (who breached and back dived a few times) offshore of them. Bringing up the rear was Mystery L85 and Ballena L90, traveling closely together like they had been on August 24th while I was out with the Center for Whale Research. The L pod members I didn't see go by the cliffs were the L54s, as well as Wave Walker L88 and Nyssa L84, who closely associate with the L54s. Had they left?
Solstice L89 arrived at the cliffs first with his mother Spirit L22 and the two of them milled back in forth for a hit and they foraged for Chinook/King salmon. Mega L41 appeared far offshore as he headed South. Calypso L94, Cousteau L113, Joy L119, and L121 came by next, with Ocean Sun L25 and Matia L77 offshore of them. Way far offshore, Crewser L92 cartwheeled. Then came Racer L72 and her son Fluke L105, with some of the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 (who breached and back dived a few times) offshore of them. Bringing up the rear was Mystery L85 and Ballena L90, traveling closely together like they had been on August 24th while I was out with the Center for Whale Research. The L pod members I didn't see go by the cliffs were the L54s, as well as Wave Walker L88 and Nyssa L84, who closely associate with the L54s. Had they left?
Calypso L94 with her son L121, who was born in February of 2015.
That evening I was invited out on the water with some friends and we found Nugget L55, Kasatka L82 (breached mutliple times), Lapis L103, and Finn L116 back near Lime Kiln with Nigel L95 as they slowly headed back South. We continued South and then offshore, spotting some Steller sea lions and harbor porpoises along the way, and eventually spotted the Racer L72 and Fluke L105 out near Discovery Island in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Off closer to Discovery, Mystery L85 and Ballena L90 traveled side by side like they had been doing earlier in the day.
Another male surfaced far off in the distance ahead of us and he turned out to be Nyssa L84, which probably meant Wave Walker L88 and the L54s were still around! Way off to our left, Matia L77 surfaced and Solstice L89 popped up way ahead of us. These Ls were very spread out. We then headed over to some active individuals and they turned out to be Ocean Sun L25, Calypso L94, and L121. Mega L41 was also nearby. At one point Ocean Sun L25 swam by the boat and L121 surfaced in her slip stream a few times. After a few minutes of being babysat by Ocean Sun L15, Calypso L94 surfaced close by and L121 returned to his mother's side.
Another male surfaced far off in the distance ahead of us and he turned out to be Nyssa L84, which probably meant Wave Walker L88 and the L54s were still around! Way off to our left, Matia L77 surfaced and Solstice L89 popped up way ahead of us. These Ls were very spread out. We then headed over to some active individuals and they turned out to be Ocean Sun L25, Calypso L94, and L121. Mega L41 was also nearby. At one point Ocean Sun L25 swam by the boat and L121 surfaced in her slip stream a few times. After a few minutes of being babysat by Ocean Sun L15, Calypso L94 surfaced close by and L121 returned to his mother's side.
Ocean Sun L25, born around 1928, with L121 in her slip stream.
All the orcas were pointed West like they were planning on leaving the area for the open ocean. As we started to make our way towards home, we also spotted a humpback whale near Constance Bank! We watched the whale for a few surfacing before heading back to the dock. At some point that night or maybe early the next morning, the orcas decided to turn around because all of L pod was back off of San Juan Island the next day, while J and K pod was up North near the Fraser River. What an awesome cetacean filled day!
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.
