Out on the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions on August 28th, we left Friday Harbor, headed down San Juan Channel, out Cattle Pass, and up to Pile Point off the West side of the island to see all of L pod (all of J and K pod was around too but they headed North for the Fraser River again). Once we got on scene, almost everybody in L pod promptly decided to come over to the boat and surround us. There was no time to get out of the way so we sat tight and waited for them to move on. Racer L72 cartwheeled right off the stern while Marina L47, Moonlight L83, Ballena L90, Muncher L91, Crewser L92, Fluke L105, Midnight L110, and Mystic L115 passed by on the right side of the boat. On the other side, Ino L54, Nugget L55, Kasatka L82, Surprise L86, Lapis L103, Pooka L106, Keta L117, and a few others surfaced. Many of the orcas did move on and got a little active with breaches and cartwheels inshore of us, but others, like Spirit L22, Mystery L85, and Solstice L89, milled about near the boat. Nigel L95 also hung out near us for a bit as he foraged for Chinook/King salmon.
Moonlight L83, born in 1990.
Crewser L92, born in 1995.
The next day, which was incredibly stormy, J and K pod were on their way back down to San Juan Island from the Fraser River and L pod (I'm not sure if everybody in the pod was present or not) surfed the rough seas along the island. On the 30th, all of J, K, and L pod headed for San Juan from the Strait of Juan De Fuca and J and K pod ended up going North for the Fraser again while L pod stayed around the island. On the 31st, L pod was outbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca for the open ocean.
On September 2nd, L pod (not sure if the L54s were included) returned to the island. That morning, I stood along the cliffs near my house and watched as the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 headed North past me, then turned around, and swam back South. It was going to be "West side shuffle" kind of day for them. As the orcas turned to head back South, Kasatka L82 breached twice, Moonlight L83 tail slapped and dorsal fin slapped multiple times, and Surprise L86 rolled over in an inverted tail slap and pectoral fin slap. Once they had all passed by and were off in the distance to the South of me, they got even more active with tons of breaches, even multiple double breaches!
On September 2nd, L pod (not sure if the L54s were included) returned to the island. That morning, I stood along the cliffs near my house and watched as the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 headed North past me, then turned around, and swam back South. It was going to be "West side shuffle" kind of day for them. As the orcas turned to head back South, Kasatka L82 breached twice, Moonlight L83 tail slapped and dorsal fin slapped multiple times, and Surprise L86 rolled over in an inverted tail slap and pectoral fin slap. Once they had all passed by and were off in the distance to the South of me, they got even more active with tons of breaches, even multiple double breaches!
Kasatka L82 breaches. She was born in 1990.
Later that day, I headed out to the cliffs again to see the L4s, L47s, and Nigel L95 as they swam by the shoreline once more. They were still in a very active/playful mood. Moonlight L83 breached, cartwheeled, pectoral fin slapped, and dorsal fin slapped multiple times. Young males Midnight L110 and Finn L116 were goofing off together and Finn L116 breached, back dived, rolled, pectoral fin slapped, and tail slapped repeatedly. Offshore of them, Jade L118 breached too.
Finn L116, born in 2010, back dives next to Midnight L110, born in 2007.
Finn L116 tail slaps.
Finn L116 breaches.
The next day (September 3rd), J and K pod finally appeared near the Fraser River after their vanishing act on the evening of the 30th when they headed North. L pod, now including the L54s but minus the L12s, who were down near Smith Island, headed North and eventually met up with J and K pod in Boundary Pass. Wow! It's been super amazing with all of the Southern Residents in the area multiple days recently. September is going to be awesome!
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.
