Friday morning finds us speeding toward Haro Strait. Southern Resdient Orca whales, are on the west side of the island!
We are excited to see just which family of whales is present. We arrive and realize that the whales are moving west toward Victoria....or are they starting out the Strait of Juan de Fuca? Part way toward Victoria we are suddenly with J pod females and calves! They have turned around and are once again headed for San Juan Island!
Here's J-17 swimming with her group of female off spring and their off spring! They speed past us toward the island.
Then L-87 cruises by us showing off his massive fin in an elegant way. But who are the two females he is with today? Not the usual...but then...all three pods of Southern Resident whales have been mixing it up lately, so all bets are off!
Before we head back in we are able to float off Whale Rocks and check on the Steller sea lions. The numbers are growing and today we find 12! These massive sea lions are always amazing to watch, in lounging mode or bossy mode.
Our afternoon trip takes us right back out to Haro Strait and more fantastic time on the water with whales from L-pod. The L-12's are headed up island and one of the new youngsters is busy keeping up with the family. On the way home seal pups delight us in the Cattle Pass area. Who can stop smiling as tiny seal heads pop us all around us? Not me!
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