September 21, 2011 Wednesday
San Juan Channel full of Harbor Porpoise, Harbor seals, and Steller Sea Lions residing on Whale Rocks. Many marine birds and Phalaropes migrating through. Members of all the pods, J-K-L, out in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, off of San Juan Island, between 3:10pm to 4:25pm. Slack water and 1+’ ebbing tide, with Matisse cloud colors and sun breaks, showed long-range visibility of the orcas spread out, and a beautiful light glow on the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges. We identified the big guy sighted first; L-41 Mega with sister L-77 Matia, heading toward Salmon Bank. They turned back and we noticed L-25 Ocean Sun. I had been sharing her story, thought to be Lolita’s mother. Lolita is the last survivor of community members captured, still in the Miami Seaquarium, and I was attending a rally, to educate people and bring her home, in Seattle on Saturday. We also talked about the Sea World current court case. Also how toothed whales, dolphins, porpoise communicate through their vocalizations and echolocation, and perhaps with breaches and physical behaviors at times. Well, 83 year old L-25 Ocean Sun jumped out of the water, she breached 2 times!! A magical moment… We see a group closer to shore porpoising, speed swimming, had they all decided to travel northwest? Then some L-Podders closer to shore, lunging, hoping they caught a Chinook Salmon! We are also listening to J-K-L vocalizations, with the lighting and wildlife an extraordinary encounter!
L-77 Matia
L-41 Mega and Olympic Mountains
L-25 Ocean Sun
Big Boy!
Cattle Point Mt Baker
OnBoard Tours Whales 
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