May 5 2009 My first J pod sighting since last summer!

Yesterday was the first report of Resident "fish eating" killer whale pods in the Salish Sea in a record of 44 days! Normally J pod spends the spring around the Salish Sea; there had not been any reports of them but, finally, yesterday they returned with K pod. Unfortunately it was a windy day and only a few boats got out to see them. J pod was spotted again today so we travelled to False Bay, on the west side of San Juan Island to follow up on the report.

J30 or Riptide, a 14 year old male and the son of J14, Samish

J2 Granny, likely the oldest female in J pod and the newest addition to J pod J14s new calf J45

When we arrived J pod was in groups spread out just off of False Bay, San Juan Island. We saw members of the J11s (now without their mother J11, Blosssom, because she disappeared i.e. probably died, last year) followed by the J22s. They were inshore of us so we couldn't get a really good look at them but we spotted J1 offshore and made our way to have a nice look at the J14s with J1 Ruffles and J2 Granny. Here were the eldest members of the group travelling with the youngest member! J14, Samish's, new calf J45 was travelling with J2 Granny who is believed to be in her 90s and J1 who is believed to nearing 60! The calf was full of energy and we even had a couple calf breaches!

Probably one of the best known Resident killer whales J1 or Ruffles. He is believed to be around 58 years old!

J1 Ruffles' profile

J1, Ruffles from a distance

Although it appeared the whales had been travelling northwest they remained stationary most of the time we watched them due to the ebbing tide. We left them at False Bay after a nice 45 minute sighting. It was great to see J pod back in the Salish Sea and doing their 'west side shuffle' off the west side of San Juan Island again!