OnBoard Tours Whales

L-41 Mega

September 14, 2009

L-72 Racer & L-41 Mega

Spy Hop!

L-77 Matia

A serene September afternoon, glass water, slack current. San Juan Channel full of Harbor Seals, Harbor Porpoise, Common Murres and loons, 14 enormous Steller Sea Lions sunning on Whale Rocks, a Bald Eagle perched on a sign on Long Island. At about 2:10pm, as we headed into the Strait of Juan de Fuca we could see killer whales swimming fast from San Juan Island toward the southeast. L-41 Mega and sister L-77 Matia slowed down and began sweeping Salmon Bank in a classic foraging pattern. So quiet we heard the buoy bell and orcas breathing. Sister L-94 Calypso worked near shore before joining her siblings. All three turned back northwest and began aggressively fishing, glad to see L-41 with a fish in his mouth! A wondrous stream of L and K vocals and clicks, nonstop for about 20 minutes! (Were L-41 & L-77 putting out the call- there’s fish here?!) More L’s and K’s headed from Eagle Cove and out about a ½ mile, including L-72 Racer with son L-105 Fluke, K-40 Raggedy with brother K-21 Cappuccino, fishing the bank, a few breaches, spy hops, tail lobs, and cartwheels, when we had to head home at 3:34pm.