On the morning of the 16th, the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions had an early morning charter. Heading South, we arrived at Salmon Bank where we found a minke whale named Trotsky II. After watching Trotsky for a few minutes, we got a call that orcas had been sighted not too far away. Off we went and came upon two marine mammal eating Transient orca matrilines known as the T036A's and T037's as they had some brunch. We even heard them talking to each other with our underwater hydrophone!
Trotsky II, my favorite minke whale!
T037A, born in 1994, does an aerial scan.
T036A, born in 1990. Blood from prey can be seen in the water beside her.
One of the T037 or T036A kids spy hops.
On our afternoon trip, we caught up with Group A of J pod (including the J16's) as they traveled North up the West side of San Juan Island for the Fraser River. Accompanying them was a lone Pacific white sided dolphin (also known as a lag). The lag harassed one orca in particular, adult male Onyx L87. Onyx didn't much like the lag buzzing around his head, and first tried ignoring it, and then eventually started porpoising (speed swimming) away. However, he couldn't shake the lag until she/she decided to approach the whale watching boats for some bow riding.
The lag surfaces in front of a diving Onyx.
On the 17th, Group A of J pod slowly made their way down from the Fraser River and didn't make it back to San Juan Island until the next day, just in time to welcome K pod, L pod, and the rest of J pod back into the area, They had returned some time early in the morning or late the night before. Out on the Odyssey, we met up with the superpod as the orcas slowly made their way North along San Juan Island, resting along the way. I have never seen such a calm and collected superpod! Maybe they had partied the night before and were completely exhausted by morning. I identified the members from the J11, J22, K12, K13, L4, L43, and L47 matrilines but I'm sure there were more matrilines around. Later on, I heard that the L12's and L54's were seen heading West, exiting the area. I should also note that a lag sighted in vicinity of the superpod on this day, maybe the same lone one that keeps associating with the Residents. Maybe he/she will be adopted??
Family portrait of the K13 matriline!
 Adult male Blackberry J27, born in 1991. |  Sprouter male Nigel L95, born in 1996. |
Will the superpod still be around tomorrow, and when will the L12's and L54's be back? We'll just have to wait and see!
Please don't use my photos without permission. Just ask :)
Please don't use my photos without permission. Just ask :)
