04 April 2008, Orca Network report

I got to see J pod. I saw lots of breaching and percussive activity from afar. To add to Jim Maya's report--J16, J36 and J42 headed back in towards shore about a half hour earlier than the others. Then they stayed separate from the rest of the pod and foraged from about 6pm to at least 7:45pm right off the beach below Hannah Heights, staying in the same area, back and forth, around and around, back and forth. J26 and J33 must have been with the rest of J pod farther south, spread out off Pile about a mile offshore to about 1/4 mile inshore. When the rest of the pod went farther south, J16 and her young'uns stayed put. They finally started moving a little south at about 7:45pm. It was great to hear their blows and see them fishing again. The little one is quite bouncy. She sometimes came to the surface once for every 3 times J16 surfaced-- super calf!
Sharon Grace, SJI

5:50 pm: Jim Maya called Orca Network with a wonderful report of J pod - they had gone down the west side of San Juan Island this morning, out to Beaumont Shoals, & then back in & were heading up the west side of San Juan Island 5 miles off False Bay at 5:50 pm. At 6:42 pm he phoned an update - they were 1.5 miles east of False Bay, off Eagle Pt. now heading SE-ish. 11:39 am: Blows and a big splash in front of my house, and just then got a call from Pete Henke on Glacier Spirit. J POD headed south toward Lime Kiln Park from Mitchell Pt, west San Juan Island.
Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's West Side Whale Watch Charters

I'm a student with Beam Reach and we were all just listening to the hydrophone at Lime Kiln and heard some calls which we identified as S1, J-pod's signature call. We first heard them at around 1315. They are pretty faint so we're not sure how far away they are.
Dominique/Beam Reach

Listening to Orcasound.net and hearing far away calls. It is 12:18 . Some squeaks and echo locating. Can't tell if they are getting closer to Lime kiln or moving away. Enjoy the sounds of these majestic animals.
Fellow Orca lover in Birch Bay

Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research off west San Juan Island called at 11:30 am to report J pod heading south past the Center, spread out.