9-11-17 L Pod Whales Came Back In

Saturday - Monday, September 9-11

9-9
...early on Saturday it rained and it rained for a good portion of the morning...
...no whales...
9-10
...but that night, in the middle of the night (like 3a.m. on Sunday), I was awakened to those 'fish burp' sounds....first time I have heard them in a long time...there were several in a row and a couple more a while later...
...and then, it was a surprise to learn that some L Pod whales had shown up...it was a small group of L Pod whales and they spent the day down off the west side of the island...

9-11
...the next morning it was out the door early, hoping to locate the whales...after scanning for close to an hour, I turned and began to walk back to the car...it was then, I stopped, "that was a blow" (I had just heard)...very faint, but it was an orca!
...back to the outlook and there were two big males, one female, about a 1/2 mile offshore, heading directly for the shoreline and angling down island...I immediately called the Center for Whale Research...then I scanned farther offshore...and there were more coming across! - definitely Residents! 
...no matter how many times I find the whales, especially like this, it just never gets old...
...as I was watching them I heard a blow off to the up island side of me - yikes! some are already heading up island...off and running now :)

...I wasn't sure who was here...the hydrophones were recording but didn't have access with me...and sometimes it's more intriguing to let them show me...

...and soon they made their way up...

...who went up island were Racer L-72, Fluke L-105, Marina L-47, Mystic L-115, Moonlight L-83, Midnight L-110, Muncher L-91, Magic L-122, and Crewser L-92 and his aunt, Ballena L-90.
...those two big males I had seen belonged to some of the L12s, who spent the day down island, spread out most of the time and foraging over a wide area...

Interesting to note that the L4s from the prior day were seen heading toward the Fraser River and were reported to by at the North Arm of the Fraser by the afternoon...
...and by the end of the day the 10 L pod whales who had gone north, were still going north...they usually travel with the L4s...
...will they meet up and come back down together?
...are the L4s splitting off?...is this the start of something new for these L Pod whales...
...as usual...the next chapter may reveal more...