JULY 21, 2009 AFTERNOON K pod and L87 in Swanson Channel

Departure time: 1357
Vessel: Five Star Charter's Fastcat

Sighting #1: Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whales (Orcinus orca)
Time: 1512 - 1550
Start location: Bluffs at Pender Island, Swanson Channel, BC
Behaviour: groups spread and travelling northbound fast

End location: .5 miles south of Mouat Point, Pender Island, Swanson Channel, BC

Pods and individuals identified: K and L87 - L87 and K26, K12, K11, K21 and K25, K14, K33

Cool killer whale fact: Females usually have one calf every 4-5 years

Links
Center for Whale Research killer whale fact page, photo ID and matrilines
Orca Adoption Program at Friday Harbour Whale Museum
Orcasound online hydrophone network
Orca Sightings Network
American Cetacean Society fact sheet

K11, Georgia, a female estimated to be in her 70s

Above 4 photos: K21, Cappuccino, a 23 year old male

Above 3 photos: K25, Scoter, an 18 year old male

K14, Lea, a 32 year old female

Whale watching boats headed throught the heat haze in Haro Strait

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!

JULY 21, 2009 MORNING K pod and L87 in Haro Strait

Departure time: 0857

Vessel: Five Star Charter's Fastcat

Sighting #1: Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whales (Orcinus orca)

Time: 1002 - 1053

Start location: Hannah Heights, San Juan Island, Washington

Behaviour: spread out milling and slowly northbound, K37 pecslaps and other surface activities

End location: Hannah Heights (just south of Lime Kiln light), San Juan Island, Washington
Pods and individuals identified: K and L87 - K21, K33, K22, K37
Cool killer whale fact: Orcas have a 16-17 month gestation period!

Links

Center for Whale Research killer whale fact page, photo ID and matrilines

Orca Adoption Program at Friday Harbour Whale Museum

Orcasound online hydrophone network

Orca Sightings Network

American Cetacean Society fact sheet

Above 2 photos: K21, Cappuccino, a 23 year old male

K33, Tika , an 8 year old male

Above 2 photos: K22, Sekiu, the 22 year old mother of K33

K37, Rainshadow, the 6 year old brother of K22 (young uncle of K33!)

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!

JULY 20, 2009 AFTERNOON K pod and L87 off San Juan Island, Haro Strait

Departure time: 1356
Vessel: Five Star Charter's Fastcat

Sighting #1: Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whales (Orcinus orca)
Time: 1439 - 1548
Start location: .5 miles off Andrews Bay, San Juan Island, Washington
Behaviour: travel slow northbound then southbound, feeding (K21 and K40)

End location: Lime Kiln Whale watch park, San Juan Island, Washington

Pods and individuals identified: K and L87 - K21, K40, K12, K37, K26

Cool killer whale fact: Females grow to an average of 24 feet and 7,000 pounds

Links
Center for Whale Research killer whale fact page, photo ID and matrilines
Orca Adoption Program at Friday Harbour Whale Museum
Orcasound online hydrophone network
Orca Sightings Network
American Cetacean Society fact sheet

K21, Cappuccino, a 23 year old male

K12, Sequim, a 37 year old female and her 6 year old son K37, Rainshadow

Above 3 photos: K26, Lobo, a 16 year old male travelling with members of K pod

K pod travelling south along the shore of San Juan Island

K21

Above 4 photos: K40, Raggedy, a female estimated to be in her 40s (yes there's a fish in her mouth!) and probably sister of K21

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!

JULY 20, 2009 MORNING K pod and L87 off the Victoria Waterfront

Departure time: 1005

Vessel: Five Star Charter's Supercat

Sighting #1: Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whales (Orcinus orca)

Time: 1047 - 1108 and 1200 - 1218

Start location: Constance Bank, south of the Victoria waterfront

Behaviour: tight and travelling east, multiple taillobs and half-breach (by L87)

End location: Seabird Point, south end of Discovery Island

Pods and individuals identified: K and L87 - K21, K40, K26, K25, K20, K38?, K34, K22, K11, L87

Cool killer whale fact: Males grow to an average of 27 feet and 9,000 pounds

Links

Center for Whale Research killer whale fact page, photo ID and matrilines

Orca Adoption Program at Friday Harbour Whale Museum

Orcasound online hydrophone network

Orca Sightings Network

American Cetacean Society fact sheet

K21, Cappuccino, a 23 year old male travelling with K40, Raggedy, a female estimated to be in her 40s and probably K21`s sister

K26, Lobo, a male (16 years old) travelling with a female K20, Spock (23 years old)

L87, Onyx, a 17 year old male and the only L pod member travelling with K pod today

Above 4 photos: L87 doing multiple tail lobs with the Victoria waterfront in the background

Above 2 photos: L87 doing a half-breach!

Sighting #2 Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina)
Time: 1117

Location: Chain Islands, Oak Bay

Behaviour: hauled out and swimming, females with pups

Links

Vancouver Aquarium harbour seal fact page

Harbour seals at the Chain Islands, Oak Bay

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!

JULY 19, 2009 AFTERNOON J pod in Haro Strait

Departure time: 1401

Vessel: Five Star Charter's Supercat

Sighting #1: Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whales (Orcinus orca)

Time: 1128 - 1202

Start location: 1 mile west of False Bay, San Juan Island, Washington

Behaviour: groups spread and milling

End location: west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Pods and individuals identified: J pod - J31, J27, J39, J1, J32, J28, J32, J17, J44

Cool killer whale fact: Newborn orcas are 7-8 feet long, 3-400 lbs.; adult females are 17-24 feet, 5-9,000 lbs; adult males are 22-30 feet, 8-12,000 lbs

Links

Center for Whale Research killer whale fact page, photo ID and matrilines

Orca Adoption Program at Friday Harbour Whale Museum

Orcasound online hydrophone network

Orca Sightings Network

American Cetacean Society fact sheet

J32, Rhapsody, a 13 year old female

Above 4 photos: J27, Blackberry, an 18 year old male Southern `Resident` fish eating killer whale

J17, Princess Angeline (32 years old) with her new calf J44 (7 months)

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!

JULY 19, 2009 MORNING J and L pod in Rosario Strait

Departure time: 1005
Vessel: Five Star Charter's Supercat

Sighting #1: Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Time: 1104
Location: 0.5 miles west of Salmon Bank
Behaviour: surfaced quickly off the bow of the boat as we travelled through Salmon Bank...so no photos!
Cool minke whale fact: The minke is a fast swimmer, capable of reaching speeds of 18-24 knots (16-21 mph)

Links
American Cetacean Society minke whale fact sheet

A minke whale at Hein Bank just south of Salmon Bank on July 16, 2009

Sighting #2: Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whales (Orcinus orca)
Time: 1128 - 1202
Start location: 3 mi South of Bird Island, Rosario Strait, Washington
Behaviour: groups spread and travelling
End location: Colville Island, off south end of Lopez Island, Washington
Pods and individuals identified: J and L pod - J19, J35, J17, J44 and possibly J30, J37
Cool killer whale fact: killer whales are found in all the oceans of the world

Links
Center for Whale Research killer whale fact page, photo ID and matrilines
Orca Adoption Program at Friday Harbour Whale Museum
Orcasound online hydrophone network
Orca Sightings Network
American Cetacean Society fact sheet

J19, Schachi, a 30 year old Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whale

J19 travelling with her another female who appears to be J35, Tahlequah, an 11 year old female

J17, Princess Angeline (32 years old), the mother of J35 and the newest calf in J pod, J44 (7 months)

Above 3 photos: spyhop! Probably J17

J17 travelling with her youngest J44 (7 months old)

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!