1-9-17 What An Encounter With the J16s Today!

Monday, January 9th
...heard something unusual over the Lime Kiln hydrophones at about 10:15 or so...but not enough 'information' to get me out the door...
...a while later - there!  click...click...click... - Residents!
RUN!!!!!!!
...got to the park and it took quite a while to find anyone...and when I did it one one lone male at least a mile offshore...
...I knew they were Residents and J Pod whales, so I expected to see more...nope.....off to the next spot...

...I get a call...my reply, "sure, you know we have SRKWs on the west side?"

...out on the Peregrine with Capt. Jim we first see Mike J-26...he was the lone male I had seen earlier from Lime Kiln...and he was quite a ways behind the rest of the family...then again that is not unusual for him...

...Dave from the Center for Whale Research was already on scene...he had moved over to locate Alki J-36 and Sonic J-52...I had only seen 4 of the 6 of this family, from shore, as did others, so we definitely wanted to located the other two...
...that didn't take long - Dave located them - they were half way up Henry Island and a bit closer in...and it was very interesting to watch some of the things they were doing...
...they were basically not going anywhere...I took video and it shows a lot more of what they were doing...here is the link
...and here are some images of them...

...not this time :)
...coming back into Snug Harbor...

...got in the car and since the whales were in Spieden Channel I couldn't just go home...if they are here I have to continue to watch them... ha!

...by they time they got to the eastern end of Spieden Channel and Spieden Island, Mike had caught up and they looked to be in travel mode now...

...the seas were getting rough, the current was flooding very strong...not sure which way they actually went...up President Channel?  or  down San Juan Channel? 
...only they know for sure...and I hope that wherever that is there is plenty for this family of six to eat.