J pod arrived at San Juan Island on 5/15/13, but were nowhere to be seen the next day. On 5/17/13 they appeared off the South end of the island and continued north up the shoreline in a resting line into the sunset. On the morning of 5/18/13 they were found at Henry Island, a small island at the north end of San Juan Island. They continued south down the coast of San Juan Island until they were in front of a waterfront neighborhood called Hannah Heights and that is where the "Odyssey", the San Juan Excursions boat I work on, found them.
Star J46 (belly up), born in 2009, is lifted into the air by her friends while playing.
Star J46 spy hops.
 Polaris J28, born in 1993, tail slaps. |  Polaris J28, born in 1993, tail slaps. |
Spieden J8, estimated to have been born in 1933, surfaces with kelp draped around her dorsal fin.
Star J46 (right), spy hops with a piece of kelp in her mouth while playing with by her friends. See her little teeth?
Star J46 (right), spy hops with a piece of kelp in her mouth while playing with by her friends. See her little teeth?
Star J46 rolls around while goofing off with her friends.
Adult male Blackberry J27, born in 1991.
Adult female Princess Angeline J17, born in 1977.
 Juvenile females Echo J42, born in 2007 and Star J46 surf a stern wake. |  Juvenile females Echo J42, born in 2007 and Star J46 surf a stern wake. |
Notch J47, born in 2010, shows his unique saddle patch and notched dorsal fin.
Adult male Mike J26, born in 1991, shows his unique saddle patch and dorsal fin shape.
Granny J2, estimated to have been born in 1911, with eelgrass draped over her dorsal fin. She wore the eelgrass for the entire encounter.
Granny J2 tail slaps.
Moby J44, born in 2009, spy hops.
 Moby J44 thrusts his fluke. |  Moby J44 thrusts his fluke. |
 |  Star J46 backdives. |  |
After returning to the dock in Friday Harbor, I hurried out to Lime Kiln State Park on the west side of San Juan Island to have a another close encounter with J pod from shore. They had turned around and headed back north right as the Odyssey had left them. Just like the evening before, they went into resting formation and slowly made their way past shore.
Here they come!
Females Tahlequah J35, born in 1995 and Rhapsody J32, born in 1996.
Granny J2.
Oreo J22, born in 1985, swims just feet from shore.
Tahlequah J35 and her son Notch J47 just feet from shore at Lime Kiln State Park.
Blackberry J27 just feet from shore.
Sprouting male Doublestuf J34, born in 1998 surfaces close to shore.
Hy'shqa J37, born in 2001 and her son J49 born on August 6th, 2012.
Onyx L87, born in 1992 with Spieden J8. Spieden and Granny adopted Onyx after his mother passed away.
What an amazing day filled with orcas! If you want your own orca encounter aboard the Odyssey, check out San Juan Excursion's website here.
Please don't use my photos without permission. Just ask :)
Please don't use my photos without permission. Just ask :)
