JUNE 11, 2009 MORNING L12 subpod in Haro Strait

This morning Five Star Charter's Supercat departed at 0900 with a group of cruise ship passengers. We didn't have any reports yet but decided to head towards San Juan Island, Washington because the L12s were doing the 'west side shuffle', foraging up and down the west side of the island, yesterday. We headed across the Victoria waterfront, crossed Haro Strait to Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan.

We arrived at Lime Kiln and stopped and scanned and, after not spotting anything there we headed south down the island. We were not the only boat out searching at this time; Orca Spirit was also out searching and they had gone over to the south end of San Juan Island. About 20 minutes after we reached Lime Kiln and scanned around the islands the L12 subpod of Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) was spotted near False Bay!

L85, Mystery, 18 year old male Resident killer whale

Above 2 photos: K38, Comet, 4 year old son of 23 year old female K20, Spock

K20, Spock, 23 year old female Resident killer whale

Above 3 photos: L89, 16 year old sprouting (maturing) male Resident killer whale

The whales were spread out milling; probably foraging for Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) run along the west side of the island on their way to the Fraser River where they eventually spawn. Although most of the L12s (and K20 and K38 again!) were probably around we got a good look at three of the animals including:

L85, Mystery, an 18 year old male

K20, Spock, a 23 year old female

K38, Comet, K20's 4 year old son

L89, Solstice, a 26 year old male

We were also fortunate (or unfortunate enough!) to have a minke whale (Balaeanoptera acutorostrata) surface near us...we never actually saw it but it definitely lived up to the nickname "stinky minke" as we could smell it's breath which was very nasty!