What A Wonderful Day Watching J Pod!

 J and K Pods had come in to the inland waters in early April.  They went up north to the Strait of Georgia, Canada, and spent many days there.   K Pod came down and traveled far offshore, closer to Vancouver Island and then into the Strait of Juan de Fuca toward the open ocean.

So where was J Pod? They came down a couple days later, or part way.  They were in Boundary Pass and almost to where Haro Strait and Boundary Pass meet.  But instead of continuing into Haro Strait they made a turn and went up along Pender Island to Active Pass and into the Strait of Georgia, something they will do because it takes them to basically to the same area outside of the entrance to the Fraser River where the salmon are before they head up the Fraser River. 

They were seen a few days later in San Juan Channel going down island but then changed their direction to up island!  ...keeping the humans wondering what they would do next.

On April 16 they came down the west side and then later that day they came back up island!  That's how it used to be! It brought a 'hopeful feeling' that just maybe there was going to be enough salmon for them...we hope.

Here are a few images of some of J Pod coming down island and up island passing Lime Kiln lighthouse. It was like it used to be!  Here's hoping...

A big splash from a tail slap.

            Coming down...

This looks like Grandma, Shachi J-19,                                                            with very young new member of this family group.

In the center the orca just about to disappear under the surface after a great spyhop, which I only got this part of!

She was closer to shore!  Many people watching the whales as they either went up island or down island. 

In the distance someone landing from a breach.

And this is the resulting landing! 

They know where to go to seek out salmon.  

Let's just hope they find plenty!

And since they are currently still in the inland waters maybe we'll get to see them again...soon!

J Pod - April 5, 2023

April 5, 2023 

J Pod was coming down San Juan Channel.  Before J Pod came into view, some Transient orcas appeared going up the Channel and then the disappeared because J Pod was coming their way. The current was going up San Juan Channel.  Many of the whales were on the far side, closer to Lopez Island and people on the shore were watching from there and we were standing on the San Juan Island side.

Yes, that's Lopez Island in the backgrouond.

Who's looking at who?  

Other J Pod whales were not as far across and were entering the strongest current and it wasn't long before you could see they were fighting to get through it.

And then there were dorsal fins going every which way.  They were about to change direction.  (all those white things are arrows pointing in the direction the dorsal fin is going.

And then ---- they turned back to going up island.

They were going to take the 'inside' route - between Goose Island and San Juan Island.  It is so special (to me) to get to see them as they are making decisions. Today's decision was about the wellbeing of the entire 25 whales in J Pod.  They didn't just come up and zip around the top of Goose Island. No, they were together in groups and as they rounded the top end of Goose Island you could tell they were 'pretty glad' to be taking this route, in my opinion.

Here are a couple images of them as they came down the San Juan Island side of Goose Island.

I'll post more of this encounter in the next couple of days.  Too tired now :) 

Thank you, J Pod, for your presence.                                                    Hoping you will find enough salmon to eat.

7-20-2021 Words from 2018 Still Need Repeating Today

Looking for something on my blog today (July 2021) the first post I opened was from 12-31-2018. It still applies today.

Hold those moments in your heart.

 Be different by making a difference.
  Hold all the oceans and the land in high regard, 
       in everything you do.
   Too many do not. 
    Consider your actions - are they good or not good.
     Each day decide to take an action to help this ailing earth.
      What you do, others will repeat.
       Take your worry, sadness, fears - change them around.
        Turn worry into action for good.
         Turn sadness into smiles for others.
          Turn fear into challenge to make a difference.


Make a difference:
for the whales;
for the salmon;
for the herring;
for the birds;
for the trees;
add to the list...

Now let's make 2019 a year of positive energy and positive change for the good of all beings and especially the Southern Residents.
After all, they are the ones who drew us in, in the first place.
It's time to give back to them, so they will be here for future generations, theirs and ours.

It seems that we haven't done enough, since it is now 2021 and the salmon are little to none and the Southern Residents are out in the open ocean hopefully finding food somewhere.  If they come in to these waters and if there are no salmon ahead of them, that is a terrible sign.  Why? Because it means their food became scarce out in the open ocean.  

So if it means we don't see them then maybe it means they are finding food elsewhere and maybe they are having quieter seas and less human interruptions to deal with.  All guesses on my part.  The whales know that they want to survive and will do all they can for each other.

It would be nice if the humans could learn to be that way with other humans.

3-28-2020 A Southern Resident Oca Hug

...current times... 

...looking back several years...