They're Baaaccckkkk! Southern Residents Inbound!

There is NOTHING like this phrase coming over the marine radio:  "Whales!  Inbound...maybe...20 of them!"  This is especially true this time of year when everyone waits and waits for the Southern Resident Killer Whales to return to the Salish Sea.  It sounds like today is the day!!  Oh...and it's MY day to work!

Inbound in the Strait of Juan de Fuca can mean a lot of things.  It does mean east bound....which is toward San Juan Island.  That's good.  But it can mean up to 60 or 70 miles away!  Today it means coming toward the San Juans from Victoria, B.C. which is about 20 miles away.  The tide is about to turn to a flood and perhaps that will pull them toward us too.   All the elements seem to be coming together for a great whale watching adventure.

It's a long run, but the sea is flat, the rain holds off and soon Vancouver Island is in clear view.  And something else comes into view too.  J-27, an adult male in J pod surfaces in the calm water.  Hello, Blackberry!  It's so good to see you again!

Orca whale coming our way!

Soon Blackberry passes by with his younger siblings keeping him company.

J-27, Blackberry and J-31 Tsuchi, J-39, Mako

I love watching these three swim together.  Mom passed away in 2008 when Mako was only five.  Blackberry (1991) and his sister, Tsuchi (1995) have kept a close watch on Mako (2003).  Looks like these three made it through the winter just fine!

My eyes scann the water for more whales I can recognize.  Another large male fin appears and Doublestuf surfaces.  He is often with his mother, J-22, Oreo, little brother, J-38, Cookie (2003) and cousin, J-32, Rapsody (1996).

J-34, Doublestuf (1998)

Another group of six members of J Pod are also here.  Princess Angeline, J-17 (1977) is near her daughter, J-28, Polaris (1993) and her grand-daughter, J-46, Star (2009).  Another daughter, J-35, Tahlequah is there with little J-47, Notch (2010), and J-44, Moby(2009) another calf of Princess Angeline!  This group is lively with three adult female mothers and three spry Orca youngsters. Three and four year olds know how to do lots of things....including spy hops (peek-a-boo?), chin rolls, tail slaps and sometimes a quick game of "catch up to mom!"

Little one turns around..."Hey!  Where is everybody?"

Following behind mom...with a chin roll!

Notch follows mom (check out notch on trailing edge of dorsal fin)

Follow the leader?

Big tail slap by shore from adult male

Soon it seems it's time for the baby games to wrap up and there is some serious swimming ahead.  The entire family comes together as a group and starts to head toward Haro Strait.  This is the water that seperates Canada and the United States.  The males give a few gigantic tail slaps as they pick up speed. The youngsters join in with some slaps of their own.  Boats and whales move together away from shore and out into more open water, the smaller family groups swim together toward San Juan Island.

J-28, Polaris in the lead here.

Sadly, it's time for us to pick up the speed too and head for San Juan Island. Why does "whale time" once again pass so quickly?   I can't keep my eyes off J Pod as they cruise across Haro Strait.  They're Back!  Welcome home friends!  May you feast on many many salmon as you grace the Salish Sea with your presence.

Blackberry and Doublestuf in familiar waters....May 15, 2013