Aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions on July 3rd, I got to see T125A and T128 for the first time ever!! Before May 2015, these two brothers, as well as the rest of the family (T125 and T127), had not been sighted in the area since June of 1992! Since then, the family has been in and out of the area but so far this season, it has just been T125A and T128. T125A and T127 are likely off somewhere else doing their own thing.
We caught up with the two brothers off of Moresby Island as they slowly headed up Swanson Channel in Canada. The difference in dorsal fin height between the two brothers is very interesting. You would expect the older brother, T128, to have the taller fin since he was born in 1988. It’s actually the opposite! Younger brother T125A, born in 1998, has the taller fin! The two didn’t travel too far while we were with them and they may have gone into resting mode for much of the encounter. We left them still slowly headed up Swanson.
We caught up with the two brothers off of Moresby Island as they slowly headed up Swanson Channel in Canada. The difference in dorsal fin height between the two brothers is very interesting. You would expect the older brother, T128, to have the taller fin since he was born in 1988. It’s actually the opposite! Younger brother T125A, born in 1998, has the taller fin! The two didn’t travel too far while we were with them and they may have gone into resting mode for much of the encounter. We left them still slowly headed up Swanson.
T128 and T125A.
T125A and T128.
On the 4th of July, we were able to see a few Js and Onyx L87 as they headed down Boundary Pass from a trip up to the Fraser River to look for Chinook salmon. They had come in from the open ocean the day before. It was a bitter sweet moment for me. I was happy to see these southern resident members I have come to know so well over the years and it was like seeing old friends again after a long time apart. But, I also worried that they were not finding enough Chinook where they had come from and that it wouldn't be any better where they were going.
It was just the J14 and J19 matrilines, a fraction of J pod. Adoptee Onyx L87 was with Granny J2 as usual and all together there were ten individuals. With less salmon around, we see J, K, and L pod splitting up more and this a good example of that. Seeing southern resident pods in their entirety is not as common as it once was.
We arrived on scene with the orcas spread out off Saturna Island near Java Rocks in Canada. Once they reached South Pender Island, they crossed over to Stuart Island in the US. Almost everyone then joined up and started porpoising for Turn Point. Trailing the porpoising group was Ti’lem I’nges J49 who was trying to catch up, and then even further back was Granny J2 and Onyx L87 who were taking their time. Samish J14 and Se-Yi’-Chn J45 tail slapped a few times and Suttles J40 cartwheeled twice as they rocketed toward Turn Point. Once off of Turn Point, everyone slowed down and began to mill about. This allowed Ti’lem I’nges J49, Granny J2, and Onyx L87 to catch up and that is where we left them.
It was just the J14 and J19 matrilines, a fraction of J pod. Adoptee Onyx L87 was with Granny J2 as usual and all together there were ten individuals. With less salmon around, we see J, K, and L pod splitting up more and this a good example of that. Seeing southern resident pods in their entirety is not as common as it once was.
We arrived on scene with the orcas spread out off Saturna Island near Java Rocks in Canada. Once they reached South Pender Island, they crossed over to Stuart Island in the US. Almost everyone then joined up and started porpoising for Turn Point. Trailing the porpoising group was Ti’lem I’nges J49 who was trying to catch up, and then even further back was Granny J2 and Onyx L87 who were taking their time. Samish J14 and Se-Yi’-Chn J45 tail slapped a few times and Suttles J40 cartwheeled twice as they rocketed toward Turn Point. Once off of Turn Point, everyone slowed down and began to mill about. This allowed Ti’lem I’nges J49, Granny J2, and Onyx L87 to catch up and that is where we left them.
Nova J51, Eclipse J41, Suttles J40, Samish J14, and Se-Yi'-Chn J45 porpoising towards Turn Point.
Suttles J40 cartwheeling.
That evening the Js and Onyx L87 headed down the west side of San Juan Island and I thought they would head back out to the open ocean. However, they were back up at the Fraser River the next day and were sighted there again on the 6th. Their continued presence there likely indicates they were finding some Chinook. This does not mean they are even close to being out of the woods yet of course.
On July 7th, the Odyssey was able to see the Js and Onyx L87 again. They had come back down from the Fraser River via Rosario Strait and were coming back up the west side of San Juan Island. We arrived on scene with them as they neared Lime Kiln State Park. The ten of them were very spread out but we ended up seeing Granny J2, Hy’shqa J37, Ti’lem I’nges J49, and Onyx L87. Onyx L87 stayed offshore while the other three were inshore. Granny J2 was in the lead and when we reached Open Bay, she surfaced with a piece of salmon in her mouth. We left them at Open Bay as they continued on their journey, perhaps back to the Fraser River.
On July 7th, the Odyssey was able to see the Js and Onyx L87 again. They had come back down from the Fraser River via Rosario Strait and were coming back up the west side of San Juan Island. We arrived on scene with them as they neared Lime Kiln State Park. The ten of them were very spread out but we ended up seeing Granny J2, Hy’shqa J37, Ti’lem I’nges J49, and Onyx L87. Onyx L87 stayed offshore while the other three were inshore. Granny J2 was in the lead and when we reached Open Bay, she surfaced with a piece of salmon in her mouth. We left them at Open Bay as they continued on their journey, perhaps back to the Fraser River.
Granny J2 (estimated to have been born in 1911) with a piece of salmon in her mouth.
Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.
