...I learned from Dave at the Center for Whale Research that the first group of whales that we spotted yesterday are California Transients...no wonder I was having such a difficult time trying to match them up!
...I have only seen one other CA transient orca...needless to say this was really cool! (other pics of these whales are in the previous post)
...Race Rocks Lighthouse as we and the whales were heading west, zigging and zagging their way along...
...the other whales, we believed there to be four, including a large male...we spotted them to the right of that freighter...gives you an idea of how far back they were...
...you can't see any whales in this image...but when one of the passengers asked me "where are they?"...well, since I had only that ship to use as a point...I said, "two pie slices to the right."...I'm still laughing about that! A new spotting phrase! LOL!!!...they were moving west rapidly and it was getting choppy...
...this is one of those times they 'zagged'...but it was great, I got a chance to get some right side pics...
...after turning back toward Race Rocks, Victoria and beyond, we continued to scan and remained to the south side of Race Rocks, sort of aiming for that 'pie slice' location from earlier...but no luck......when we got south of Victoria at 4 1/2 miles I spotted more whales...
eeeekkkk....turn...gotta see who they are...5 whales in this group too and all new to me...
...T46C...this is as much as she gave me...it was choppy here too, and they were moving against a strong current...
...T46B is the mom...she has a first offspring - T46B1 (see below)...and so these other two...well are they both hers?...or is one hers and one her sister's (T46C)?
...in loosely doing the math...it is possible that she has had two more offspring since T46B1 was born in 2003....and they would be T46B2 and T46B3......T46B with youngest member of this group...
...BUT her sister was born in 1994, making it possible for to her to have had a baby as well......I'm guessing they both belong to T46B......and now for T46B1...who I have called 'Tire Tracks' ever since I saw a picture of his (I think) left saddle patch marking, I've wanted to meet this whale...
...here's another image close up...but the choppy water was not cooperating...
...those 'tire tracks' go all the way down the saddle patch...curious as to what they were caused from......we stayed just a few minutes with this group and then headed for the harbor...
...just like we left the other group, beautiful blows in the distance...except this group was heading east......and that brings me to a wonderful gift for whale lovers, including yourself! A great Audio CD of the blows of the orcas...called They'll Take Your Breath Away! Check it out!
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