9-11-14 Were They Introducing the Baby to the People?

Thursday, September 11th
...it was a long search and then just wait for someone to find the whales today...and what do you know, they were 'all' (not sure if the entire Community was present or not) not very far away!

...we were hoping to see baby L-120 but were not specifically looking to find her/him...there are others there we wanted to see too, but you know how babies are...oh, so tiny...well 7 to 8 feet long and possibly up to 400 pounds...doesn't sound small, but next to an adult a calf sure looks tiny...
...today Muncher L-91 was traveling with Surprise! L-86, and baby L-120, aunt Ophelia L-27, and Pooka L-106 - who was still off to the side...

...the groupings were very social, I would say...

...Granny J-2 was leading the way...not far behind were some of Sequim K-12's family members...interesting enough that during the day the K12s were mixed around: Sekiu K-22 was with Granny, Saturna K-43 was with Tika K-33, and of course Rainshadow K-37 was with mom K-12...

...the K13s- Cali K-34 was with Onyx L-87 - these two are doing a lot of hanging out together...

...and the K14s...K-36, K-42 and K-44...both family groups were in the same vicinity, but these 3 were traveling and playing around...

...Scoter K-25 and his mom, Skagit K-13 were with them...I don't remember seeing Spock and Comet though...

...most of those whales made it up to the lighthouse before turning around...

...what was most interesting to me was that the four whales and the baby - all members of L pod - were with the Js and Ks...and the rest of the Ls who were present remained down island...now this might sound strange, but I have seen them 'parade' a new calf up the island to the lighthouse and then back down...it's almost as if they are showing off the new member of their community...this image I took from the boat, Maya's Westside Charters, after the whales had turned around and were coming back down from the lighthouse...

 

...later in the day the rest of the family, the L55s, joined the group...even Nigel was there and the L21 family group...I'm not sure who else...
...I am curious as to where Racer L-72 and Fluke L-105 were, they are usually with Nigel L-95...but the whales have been so mixed up this season...will just have to wait to see them again...

...Sonata K-35...well, he took a minute to figure out!...look at how his dorsal fin is sprouting - wow!

...I saw him and his mom, Opus K-16...but like Racer and Fluke, I didn't see Cappuccino K-21 who travels with Opus and Sonata...maybe next time...

...before we left, Granny J-2, the J14s, and the K12s were heading back in toward shore, toward the south end of the island...

...and the K13s were heading back up to meet them...others were off shore, but they didn't look like they were getting into travel mode...perhaps they will be here tomorrow...