June 27
1930: Likely J pod well spread out and moving northward. Few vocals though some great S-4 calls (that neat growl) and some echolocation clicks.
Val Veirs, San Juan Island
zaterdag 27 juni 2009
vrijdag 26 juni 2009
Kelping orca (J35?)
San Juan Island
June 26, 2009
Photo by Jill Hein
June 26
Whales all over today on the west side of San Juan Island, very spread out. We were a mile or two off shore with L78, K16 and possibly J35, who played in a kelp bed, then pushed the kelp over towards us. What a thrill. Attached are 2 photos of the kelp princess.
Jill Hein, Coupeville
June 26th, I was out on the Western Explorer and we met up with J-Pod again heading north in Swanson Channel around 12 noon. They were in nice tight groups and we spent most of our time observing the J14 family group with J1, J2, and J8. We were able to identify every J- Pod family group but the J16s, so they either went undetected or were off on their own somewhere else. When we left them around 1 PM they were just nearing Otter Bay, still traveling north against a flood tide. You can see some photos from this afternoon here.
Monika Wieland, San Juan Island
June 26
We left the Ks last night off the Southern tip of Lopez Isl. Js had gone North in the morning, so they should be back today.
Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's West Side Charters
June 26
On our afternoon trip, we headed out to meet up with the Orcas reported to be heading north in Swanson Channel. When we arrived, J Pod was in a tight resting formation, drifting past Village Bay on Mayne Island. We knew that would likely change as they approached Active Pass. Sure enough, the tail slaps started just as they rounded the bend at Helen's Point. Was that a response to the strong current pulling them into the pass, or the DFO observer sitting on the point watching the whale watch boats??? In any case, all the commercial boats gave the whales lots of room as they maneouvered across the pass to the shores of Galiano Island, and then to the east. The whales stayed fairly tightly together until they were mid-pass, when the action really got going - upside-down swimming, breaches, tail slaps, pec slaps, spyhops - as they approached the tide rips at the east end of the pass. I've attached one photo (see above) of the multi- action our passengers were fortunate to witness. As they were exiting the pass, the whales did a long dive going through the final large tide rips, and surfaced some distance to the east. Once in the Strait of Georgia, the pod split into matriline groups and spread out for the crossing. The mud plume from the Fraser River had spread all the way across the Strait due to the low tide and earlier winds, and the whales seemed to be doing many more spyhops than we usually see as they exit Active Pass. They might have been surprised by the sudden darkness underwater where it should have been clear blue- green water. We left J Pod shortly after their exit from Active Pass. They were still heading east towards the coal docks. Happily, the DFO boat on scene likely got zero footage of whale watch boats misbehaving as everyone was keeping a very respectful distance. Only one BC ferry entered the pass during the time we were there, and it was at the wider east end, allowing lots of room to stay out of the way of both whales and the ferry. Our passengers enjoyed a very special encounter with these animals, observing not only many behaviours, but also the family togetherness of a resting pod.
Joan Lopez, Naturalist, Vancouver Whale Watch
donderdag 25 juni 2009
Yesterday, June 25th, I watched J-Pod off of Land Bank and Lime Kiln on the west side of San Juan Island from about 3:30-4:30 in the afternoon. They headed north very close to shore, then turned and started coming back south before veering to the west to meet in the incoming K-Pod. It was definitely one of those special passbys where most of the pod was just off the kelp beds, and onlookers got nice looks at all the J-Pod family groups! You can see some of my favorite photos from the encounter here.
June 25
OrcaSound hydrophone, 1830: First we heard mewing, like in K-pod, and then we heard S-1's as in J-pod. The whales were spread out and their blows drifted north in the southerly, backlit by the ever-so-slow setting sun - they were headed slowly north. Ethereal.
Val Veirs, San Juan Island
June 25
Cool orcas off SJI today most of the day. First, J pod went down island on the ebb, then up island on the flood to Lime Kiln, with most of the pod making close passes to shore with lots of surface active behavior. As J1 and J2, among others, went north, most of the pod seemed to stall out around Lime Kiln, still with lots of surface activity. At the same time there were reports that K pod had passed Discovery Island and other reports further north had J1 and J2 disappearing. Minutes after J1 and J2 "disappeared," the orcas at Lime Kiln started heading at a fast pace off shore and towards Discovery. Within minutes J pod, including J1 and J2, were together making great time and distance against a strong flood tide. Several juveniles breached nearly continuously, until J pod met up with K pod and perhaps more than a few L's about a mile off Hannah Heights at around 5 p.m. There were whales all over, with much active socializing. There appeared to be at least three groups of ten or more whales in close proximity, rolling all over each other, with much switching of whales (at least sprouters) between the groups. About half of K pod headed in close to the shore at Hannah Heights within 10 minutes of meeting up. At Hannah there was a good chop going on. The K pod whales appeared to be surfing, foraging and playing at the same time. A young calf (K42?) tried to copy the older whales and dove aggressively into a large wave before getting bashed sideways by the pretty good sized wave. The calf kind of wriggled like a fish, righted himself and continued on unabashed after his older brethren. As the flood tide began carrying the main group of orcas up island, the K pod whales that had been close in to the beach headed out and joined up with the main group. I left them just after 6 pm still heading up island as a group. On another good note I think I have seen more socializing already this year, than all of last year which seemed to be a continual quest for food. On a bad note, as the whales met up today, they were completely surrounded by boats. (On a good note, DFW and Soundwatch had been out earlier in the day.)
Sharon Grace, SJI
June 25
Late Thursday afternoon as the whales went north past Lime Kiln I was able to get a picture of Gaia L-78 and Wave Walker L-88. I don't know if other L Pod whales were present with J Pod and K Pod, but it was interesting to see these whales with Js and Ks. I would imagine that their mom, Grace L-2 was there, but I didn't get a picture of her. L-2, L-78 and L-88 were seen with J and K pods on Monday June 22nd as they all came south down Haro Strait.
Jeanne Hyde, San Juan Island
June 25
OrcaSound hydrophone, 1830: First we heard mewing, like in K-pod, and then we heard S-1's as in J-pod. The whales were spread out and their blows drifted north in the southerly, backlit by the ever-so-slow setting sun - they were headed slowly north. Ethereal.
Val Veirs, San Juan Island
June 25
Cool orcas off SJI today most of the day. First, J pod went down island on the ebb, then up island on the flood to Lime Kiln, with most of the pod making close passes to shore with lots of surface active behavior. As J1 and J2, among others, went north, most of the pod seemed to stall out around Lime Kiln, still with lots of surface activity. At the same time there were reports that K pod had passed Discovery Island and other reports further north had J1 and J2 disappearing. Minutes after J1 and J2 "disappeared," the orcas at Lime Kiln started heading at a fast pace off shore and towards Discovery. Within minutes J pod, including J1 and J2, were together making great time and distance against a strong flood tide. Several juveniles breached nearly continuously, until J pod met up with K pod and perhaps more than a few L's about a mile off Hannah Heights at around 5 p.m. There were whales all over, with much active socializing. There appeared to be at least three groups of ten or more whales in close proximity, rolling all over each other, with much switching of whales (at least sprouters) between the groups. About half of K pod headed in close to the shore at Hannah Heights within 10 minutes of meeting up. At Hannah there was a good chop going on. The K pod whales appeared to be surfing, foraging and playing at the same time. A young calf (K42?) tried to copy the older whales and dove aggressively into a large wave before getting bashed sideways by the pretty good sized wave. The calf kind of wriggled like a fish, righted himself and continued on unabashed after his older brethren. As the flood tide began carrying the main group of orcas up island, the K pod whales that had been close in to the beach headed out and joined up with the main group. I left them just after 6 pm still heading up island as a group. On another good note I think I have seen more socializing already this year, than all of last year which seemed to be a continual quest for food. On a bad note, as the whales met up today, they were completely surrounded by boats. (On a good note, DFW and Soundwatch had been out earlier in the day.)
Sharon Grace, SJI
June 25
Late Thursday afternoon as the whales went north past Lime Kiln I was able to get a picture of Gaia L-78 and Wave Walker L-88. I don't know if other L Pod whales were present with J Pod and K Pod, but it was interesting to see these whales with Js and Ks. I would imagine that their mom, Grace L-2 was there, but I didn't get a picture of her. L-2, L-78 and L-88 were seen with J and K pods on Monday June 22nd as they all came south down Haro Strait.
Jeanne Hyde, San Juan Island
woensdag 24 juni 2009
Js south of Pt. Roberts
June 24
Well, the Js spent the afternoon South of Pt. Roberts trying to decide whether or not to battle the flood tide and come down to the San Juans. Nope. They decided to ride the flood back to the Fraser, and hopefully come on down tomorrow. The last I heard they were 10 miles North of East Pt. still headed North at 6:30 PM this evening (6/24).
Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Westside Charters, San Juan Island
Well, the Js spent the afternoon South of Pt. Roberts trying to decide whether or not to battle the flood tide and come down to the San Juans. Nope. They decided to ride the flood back to the Fraser, and hopefully come on down tomorrow. The last I heard they were 10 miles North of East Pt. still headed North at 6:30 PM this evening (6/24).
Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Westside Charters, San Juan Island
dinsdag 23 juni 2009
J pod in the San Juans
June 23
We lucked out on our 1pm tour with reports of Residents eastbound near Victoria, BC. A little trip to the south around Cattle Pass and across the Straits (which looked as if it were a pond today) - so calm, clear views of the Olympic Mountains to the south and we met up with the whales crossing to San Juan Island. They had been traveling quite fast according to the other boats and they ended up splitting into 2 or more groups, with some whales moving towards the southern half of the island and others northbound up Haro Strait. The Orcas were quite spread out in all directions - apparently it was J pod and K pod. (I'm still getting back into the swing of identifying these guys.)
We had some wonderful views of 2 younger calves playing in the currents where the kelp was collecting, along with logs and other debris. One even draped a bit of kelp across its dorsal fin!! There was some breaching, tail slaps and just some great looks at the whales. We moved north, from one group to another and left them off of Kellet Bluff, Henry Island as we looped around the north side of San Juan Island.
Then the sunset tour. Wow! It was one of those nights where there was no wind, the seas were like glass, and the clouds cleared so I could finally see Mount Baker in all its glory in the Cascade Range! J pod had covered some ground and was up in the Canadian Gulf Islands. So to Canada we went. We had a small intimate group of people on the boat who got one of the best shows I've seen in a long time! We were able to watch J27 (Blackberry) who at 18 is turning into quite the large male. Along with J27 was his sister J31 and a sprouter male who I believe was J34, and a few others I didn't ID. There were actively spyhopping, rolling, foraging, and moving northbound. The unfortunate part of this experience was a private boater that was much too close to the whales, who continued to pursue the Orcas and park as close as possible to the animals. It is illegal for any vessel to be within a 100 yards of these Endangered Southern Community of Killer Whales. Many folks don't realize that this is law and the point being we want to give the Orcas enough space so that we boaters are not causing them to alter their normal behavior. Hopefully as more people learn this, we will all be more conscience of how we conduct ourselves around the whales.
We were able to also get great looks at J26, the other 18 year old male with his mom J16 and younger sibling J42. Again very active tonight! Breach after breach, even by the little calf! The next family group included J17, J28, and newborn J44? I kept looking for the little one but the glare on the water against the dark rocky shoreline made it difficult. By now we were nearing Active Pass and it was time to head home. What a beautiful and special day in the San Juans.
-Jaclyn, naturalist, Crew At San Juan Safaris Whale Watch Wildlife Tours
We lucked out on our 1pm tour with reports of Residents eastbound near Victoria, BC. A little trip to the south around Cattle Pass and across the Straits (which looked as if it were a pond today) - so calm, clear views of the Olympic Mountains to the south and we met up with the whales crossing to San Juan Island. They had been traveling quite fast according to the other boats and they ended up splitting into 2 or more groups, with some whales moving towards the southern half of the island and others northbound up Haro Strait. The Orcas were quite spread out in all directions - apparently it was J pod and K pod. (I'm still getting back into the swing of identifying these guys.)
We had some wonderful views of 2 younger calves playing in the currents where the kelp was collecting, along with logs and other debris. One even draped a bit of kelp across its dorsal fin!! There was some breaching, tail slaps and just some great looks at the whales. We moved north, from one group to another and left them off of Kellet Bluff, Henry Island as we looped around the north side of San Juan Island.
Then the sunset tour. Wow! It was one of those nights where there was no wind, the seas were like glass, and the clouds cleared so I could finally see Mount Baker in all its glory in the Cascade Range! J pod had covered some ground and was up in the Canadian Gulf Islands. So to Canada we went. We had a small intimate group of people on the boat who got one of the best shows I've seen in a long time! We were able to watch J27 (Blackberry) who at 18 is turning into quite the large male. Along with J27 was his sister J31 and a sprouter male who I believe was J34, and a few others I didn't ID. There were actively spyhopping, rolling, foraging, and moving northbound. The unfortunate part of this experience was a private boater that was much too close to the whales, who continued to pursue the Orcas and park as close as possible to the animals. It is illegal for any vessel to be within a 100 yards of these Endangered Southern Community of Killer Whales. Many folks don't realize that this is law and the point being we want to give the Orcas enough space so that we boaters are not causing them to alter their normal behavior. Hopefully as more people learn this, we will all be more conscience of how we conduct ourselves around the whales.
We were able to also get great looks at J26, the other 18 year old male with his mom J16 and younger sibling J42. Again very active tonight! Breach after breach, even by the little calf! The next family group included J17, J28, and newborn J44? I kept looking for the little one but the glare on the water against the dark rocky shoreline made it difficult. By now we were nearing Active Pass and it was time to head home. What a beautiful and special day in the San Juans.
-Jaclyn, naturalist, Crew At San Juan Safaris Whale Watch Wildlife Tours
maandag 22 juni 2009
J1 & J2
Stuart Island
June 22, 2009
Photo by Andrew Lees
June 22
I thought you might like this picture of J2 "Granny" spy-hopping right next to J1 "Ruffles". This was just south of Stuart Island this afternoon (6/22) . Regards,
Andrew Lees, Five Star Whale Watching
June 22
Got to finally catch up with J pod off Lime Kiln on Monday evening. They started coming by around 17:15 or so. I believe we got to see them all. They were fairly vocal as they swam by, Bob Otis had his radio out there with the hydrophones so we could hear them calling. Was a very windy time out there and the only boats were a couple watches out of Canada. The boats were so far out there, as the pod was very spread out. Take care!
Vickie Doyle, Kent, WA
June 22
Center for Whale Research received a report from Soundwatch of 40 plus whales traveling south from East Point on Saturna Island, B.C. at 12:25 p.m. At 2:00 p.m. Center staff Erin Heydenreich, Emma Foster and Basil Von Ah encountered J's and K's in mixed tight groups traveling at a fast pace southwest through Boundary Pass(48° 43.930 N; 123° 09.584 W). The whales continued to travel past Turn Point and spread out across Haro Strait (48° 36.568 N; 123° 14.784W). All members of J and K pod were confirmed present as well as the L2's and L87. The rest of L pod reportedly went west in the Strait of Juan de Fuca earlier that morning.
Center for Whale Research,
Js, Ks and Ls together
June 22
Jeff Hogan reported Js, Ks & some L's (at least L2 & L87) off the west side of San Juan Island today.
June 22
All of J-Pod with some L's and K's porpoising, power swimming, against the strong flood tide, from Saturna Island southwest across Boundary Pass toward Stuart Island, from 2:20pm to 3:25pm. They were traveling quite fast, in tight knit family groups. As we watched the first group approach Turn Point and the tide rips, one whale spy hopped, then 2 in unison, then the breaches started. There were 4 to 5 orcas in each group, 8 groups total, in that time period, heading around the point into Haro Strait. In every group, whales spy hopped, breached, lunged, cartwheeled, back flipped, pectoral slapped, or tail lobbed as they closed in on Stuart Island! Words can't describe the fantastic, countless breaches, percussive and surface behaviors!! Even J-1 Ruffles joined the party and breached!
Caroline Armon, San Juan Excursions
June 22
At 17:58 I can hear whales at Orca Sound hydrophone. Great clarity! No vessel noise!
Celia Barroso
June 22
They're there again (orcas on OrcaSound) right now - 5:08pm!
Ruby Keefe, Culver City, CA
June 22
Heard some GREAT orca calls on the OrcaSound hydrophones beginning at about 4:30 pm, then at 5:43 pm on the Lime Kiln Hydrophone, so they must have been heading south along the west side of San Juan Island.
Susan Berta, Orca Network, Whidbey Island
June 22 Hearing our friends at 12:17am June 22nd on the orcasound hydrophone!
Ruby Keefe, Culver City, CA
June 22
Sounds like party time for the 'Superpod boys and girls' right now at 12 .15am June 22nd on the Orcasound hydrophones. Makes my heart sing! What magical sounds.
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Victoria B.C.
June 22
On our morning trip from Steveston, we had heard a rumour that the whales were headed south from the Roberts Bank Coal Dock. Sure enough, we spotted some whales travelling along the shores of Point Roberts, as they occasionally do when in the area. Initially, just a few whales were seen, then offshore, we started to see more fins. The whales were spread out over an area that was several square miles. They were travelling alone, or in very small groups, slowly drifiting with the tide, with no obvious direction of travel, and often doing long dives. We were fortunate to observe K26 (Lobo) spending some quality time with younger brother K42, even doing some side-by-side foraging. Further out in the Strait, we encountered J1 and J2. At one point, J1 lunged, presumably after a fish, and following that, J2 (Granny) breached twice - one a forward arch, and then one standard up in the air breach. Our passengers were so impressed when they heard that she may be approaching 100 years of age and still had that kind of energy and flexibility. Surprisingly, vocals were very sparse, and with almost no boat traffic, we would have been able to hear them for miles. It was an amazing morning, with flat calm waters, and whales meandering by from every direction.
Joan Lopez, Naturalist, Vancouver Whale Watch
Jeff Hogan reported Js, Ks & some L's (at least L2 & L87) off the west side of San Juan Island today.
June 22
All of J-Pod with some L's and K's porpoising, power swimming, against the strong flood tide, from Saturna Island southwest across Boundary Pass toward Stuart Island, from 2:20pm to 3:25pm. They were traveling quite fast, in tight knit family groups. As we watched the first group approach Turn Point and the tide rips, one whale spy hopped, then 2 in unison, then the breaches started. There were 4 to 5 orcas in each group, 8 groups total, in that time period, heading around the point into Haro Strait. In every group, whales spy hopped, breached, lunged, cartwheeled, back flipped, pectoral slapped, or tail lobbed as they closed in on Stuart Island! Words can't describe the fantastic, countless breaches, percussive and surface behaviors!! Even J-1 Ruffles joined the party and breached!
Caroline Armon, San Juan Excursions
June 22
At 17:58 I can hear whales at Orca Sound hydrophone. Great clarity! No vessel noise!
Celia Barroso
June 22
They're there again (orcas on OrcaSound) right now - 5:08pm!
Ruby Keefe, Culver City, CA
June 22
Heard some GREAT orca calls on the OrcaSound hydrophones beginning at about 4:30 pm, then at 5:43 pm on the Lime Kiln Hydrophone, so they must have been heading south along the west side of San Juan Island.
Susan Berta, Orca Network, Whidbey Island
June 22 Hearing our friends at 12:17am June 22nd on the orcasound hydrophone!
Ruby Keefe, Culver City, CA
June 22
Sounds like party time for the 'Superpod boys and girls' right now at 12 .15am June 22nd on the Orcasound hydrophones. Makes my heart sing! What magical sounds.
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Victoria B.C.
June 22
On our morning trip from Steveston, we had heard a rumour that the whales were headed south from the Roberts Bank Coal Dock. Sure enough, we spotted some whales travelling along the shores of Point Roberts, as they occasionally do when in the area. Initially, just a few whales were seen, then offshore, we started to see more fins. The whales were spread out over an area that was several square miles. They were travelling alone, or in very small groups, slowly drifiting with the tide, with no obvious direction of travel, and often doing long dives. We were fortunate to observe K26 (Lobo) spending some quality time with younger brother K42, even doing some side-by-side foraging. Further out in the Strait, we encountered J1 and J2. At one point, J1 lunged, presumably after a fish, and following that, J2 (Granny) breached twice - one a forward arch, and then one standard up in the air breach. Our passengers were so impressed when they heard that she may be approaching 100 years of age and still had that kind of energy and flexibility. Surprisingly, vocals were very sparse, and with almost no boat traffic, we would have been able to hear them for miles. It was an amazing morning, with flat calm waters, and whales meandering by from every direction.
Joan Lopez, Naturalist, Vancouver Whale Watch
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