Friday, March 30th
...sunshine again, calm seas, and room on the Western Prince...a good day to get out on the water...I didn't know of any whale sightings, but after more rain and cold (to me) weather, well, with the nice day...
...it wasn't long before I learned that there were actually whales out there and they were near-by...and it was the T2Cs - again!...and they were in San Juan Channel - again! WOW!
Recently I've written several blog posts about them...so enjoy images from today.
...this is at Whale Rocks, Cattle Pass
Sunday, March 11th
...just when you think there can't be anymore cause-for-pause with the T2Cs, they stop you in your tracks...
...not only did they come back to Ruben Tarte Park, where they had been on the 7th of March, today many of us got to watch them for about two hours, some as they were approaching and most of it while they were just about right in front of us...of course I had to continue following them through the day, because when I can...well, I just have to!
...
...T2C2 is sprouting and his food requirements are increasing!
...here's the cause-for-pause...
...I didn't see it as it was occurring and am so glad it was all documented on my images...just think of the depth of caring, understanding, and actually knowing what to do to care for him...
...was mom teaching the youngest how to care for T2C2? - wow! is about all I can say.
...according to the eco-type chart it's the type B and type C orcas that show a more obvious cape...I've seen capes on some of the orcas in these waters, but it's not real obvious...
...T2C3's cape was pretty obvious, likely due, in part to the angle of the sun...everything lined up for that moment...
...they spent about an hour right in front of lots of people watching from the rocks above them...lots of eating, (we could smell it) and since their meal doesn't stay in one place, they too are moving around getting it...and then they began to move back down island from where they had come...the tide had changed and this family usually 'goes with the flow' and that's because they won't leave T2C2 too far behind...
...they slowly made their way, passing the entrance to Friday Harbor...
...then down toward Jackson's Beach and through Griffin Bay...
...the tide was still ebbing...the current took them out of the channel into Haro Strait...
...this marked the fifth day the T2C family group has been in the San Juans...
...last year they were here for five days before going back to the north where they spend most of their time...perhaps, they will stay a bit longer this year...
...it seems they may have taken on the job of 'seal control' because they eat a lot of seals every day, and it's all done in the natural way.
Friday, March 9th
...after seeing the T2Cs on March 7th (see prior post)...
...there was no word yesterday, as far as I know, of the T2Cs...
...there were other Ts here and there, but none close by...
...this afternoon I got a call of whales coming up near Lime Kiln Park, but I was at home...if I drove to the park I would likely have missed them if they were coming up island...
...hmmmm...
...so I waited, and I waited...
...then I learned they were coming up island...
...so I continued waiting...
...by now I began to wonder if it was the T2Cs, because they move very slowly...
...I get a call from Dave and the Center for Whale Research...neither of us had seen them yet...
...as we were talking, he spotted them coming into view at a point to the south of both of our locations...
...and here they came...very slowly...
...it is always special to see them...
Last year they were around the San Juans for several days before going back to the north...I guess we'll find out what this year they have planned.
Friday, May 20th
...by mid morning there were reports of transient orcas to the northwest, the southeast, and incoming toward Victoria in the Strait of Juan de Fuca...Oh, my goodness!...is what I lot of people were saying...
...Which way to go? Whichever way was closest!
...out on Peregrine for a 1:00 trip with Andy at the helm we head toward Victoria...we heard that the group that had come in had split up and closest would be the T2Cs...
...I hadn't seen the T2Cs last year, so I was in for a few minutes of: "who in the world is that?"...he had grown a lot, but even so he didn't look the same as the others...he never had...and now even bigger, it was pronounced even more...
...we had to leave...but we were on our way back out on a late afternoon trip...while in route we heard they were taking another harbor seal...
...'the spyhop' after a kill...
...it was not a day to see whales from shore...they were three or four miles out...
...and what a day it was with the T2Cs...
...with so many transients in the area I imagine there will be some around tomorrow...however, they can all just disappear anytime they want :)
