Eagles, Seals and....ORCA Whales!

J-19 rockets into the air!....with flare!

Good news!  The Southern Resdients are back in our range today!  It's been a week since I've seen them and I am anxious to get back out on the water.  Today there are 26 passengers who are also excited to see the whales.  Our trip takes us north to the top of San Juan Island and out into Haro Strait.

 We find a group of six or seven whales headed north.  Here's a little bit of "Fluke and Fin" between two K and J pod family whales!

Granny, J-2, in the lead and Lobo, K-26 keeping her company!

Interestingly, Granny, the oldest of all the southern resident killer whales with an estimated birth year of 1911, is swimming along with a young adult male from K pod today.  Lobo, K-26 is keeping up and right along with them is the rest of his family.  His mother, Lea, K-14 is there and two more siblings.  Little Yoda is one of my favorite whales as I remember the day I caught him spy hopping and his chin sports a dimple!

Granny in the lead, and Lobo and...

We have a whole hour to watch the whales and suddenly are surprised by a giant breach.  One of our young passengers is counting...and as he says, "One..."...I add, "Two" and suddenly, J-19 flies out of the water on our chorus of "Three!"  What a surprise!  I just barely get the photo to prove it.

We keep trying our  counting trick...but the magic only works once.

After a stunning hour enjoying Orca whales foraging and cruising along San Juan Island, we turn to begin our trip back to Friday Harbor, but there is more to see on the way home.  How about Bald eagles?  We find three different adult Bald eagles on the shore of Spieden Island.  One walks a fallen tree, way out into the air over the water.

Always Alert

Checking us out...

Flashy Dresser

Here's one practicing for Halloween....going to dress as a tree branch!

Can't see me....can you?

It's hard not to stop and admire the Harbor seals basking in the warm autumn sunshine.

Two or Three?  Can you see?

My rock....MY rock....

Marveling at the magic on the water today, we head back into port.  I always feel so lucky to have spent the day this way.  Eagles, seals...and Orca whales...