Whale Watching Report

Monday, September 7, 2009

Carnage In The Salish Sea- A National Geographic Kind Of Day

Tightly Traveling
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes
Draped In Bull Kelp
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes
The Chase- Orca Acrobatics
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes
Fake Left Go Right
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes
The Final Blow
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes
The Minke Whale Is Safe Today
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes
"One never knows what is in store for the day and today was no exception. We left the dock and headed out into Rosario Strait when Captain Carl spotted 4 Orcas traveling near Williamson Rocks. It was about 12:45 PM and no one had spotted these four moving near Anacortes!! And a what a find they were. It was the T19 subpod of Transient Orcas comprised of T19 (the mom) and her 3 offspring including her sprouter male son T19B- who was tagged a year ago this month fairly close to where we found them today! Tightly grouped they zigged and zagged but continued south towards Lawson Reef. Near the Channel Marker for the reef they stopped to play in some Bull Kelp giving us a couple of good taillobes. They continued south towards a group of birds. Then everything changed. They began to pursuit of a Harbor Porpoise. We watched mouths open in shock as they leaped out of the water, quickly changing directions and working together for their meal. At one point one of the females with a final sharp blow caused the porpoise to fly through the air before the water turned red in the aftermath. Moments later they regrouped and continued swimming westward not skipping a beat. In three years this was the first porpoise kill I have ever witnessed and it was definitely worth the wait! The wildlife didn't end with the Orcas we continued to Whale Rocks where we found numerous Steller Sea Lions both hauled out on the rocks & swimming in the strong current and even found a Minke Whale feeding on baitfish close by! What a day...a double header and a feeding frenzy that will be hard to forget!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

posted by Island Adventures Whale Report @ 7:20 PM   0 Comments

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Thank Goodness Its Whale Day! (Friday, September 4th, 2009)

Resting Whales
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

First Signs of Awaking From Their Slumber
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Cartwheel Celebration
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes


Orca Fireworks!
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes


"It wasn't long after leaving the marina that we found Orcas near Smith Island moving west. Tightly grouped when we first arrived it appeared they were in a resting/traveling pattern. Watching their movements as they rose & fell in the water with such ease, such fluidity was breath taking. Their awaking came without warning. It started with a single spyhop, followed by a series of multiple spyhops by other individuals. Then it began. Whale fireworks. One after another breaching like a domino's cascading across a flat surface- in this case water. Caudal peduncle throws were thrown in for good measure with a few taillobes. Then just as it had started without warning the explosion of activity ended. We watched as the whales began to disperse even further from the core group. A couple of youngsters kicked up their flukes in a series of leaps as if to shake the still present pent up energy! One of the most extraordinary events I have witnessed." - Naturalist Kate Janes

posted by Island Adventures Whale Report @ 4:05 PM   0 Comments

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Orca Whales and Sea Lions

Captain Carl reports Orca Whales in sight. Stay tuned for updates from today's tour.

We started our day off traveling along the backside of Guemes Island and proceeded through Peavine Pass where we found harbor seals hauled out. As the weather improved and Captain Carl got the word, we made our way out through Cattle Pass and up the east side of Haro Strait. We met up with some orcas that were inbound from Victoria. We had a few great looks as Surprise swam by the boat with a young one in tow. We spent some quality time with the whales as they moved southbound, allowing us to spend more time with them. As we headed back home, Captain Carl found a California sea lion hauled out on the Salmon Bank channel marker. What a great find! The sea lion looked up lazily from his perch to check us out. We also found a pair of Bald Eagles at Colville Island. It was a fabulous day on the water with amazing wildlife and great water!

posted by Island Adventures Whale Report @ 6:33 PM   0 Comments

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Cetaceans Galore!

Harbor Porpoise Out In Great Numbers
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes
First of Three Minke Whales!
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Tattered Lady (Raggedy K40)
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

The Man of K Pod (Cappuccino K21)
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Once off the dock we began our search for wildlife, which took us south down Rosario Strait. In amongst a huge group of Harbor Porpoise we found our first whale- a Minke Whale feeding near Lawson Reef! The stillness of the day not only provided glass calm conditions we watch the sleek creature move through its environment but also we were treated to hearing its exhalations. After some great looks at this Minke Whale we continued heading westward where we found yet another huge Minke feeding near Iceberg Point with more Harbor Porpoise close by. It was only moments later after departing our 2nd Minke of the day that we encountered Southern Resident Orcas! We enjoyed visiting with Gaia (L78), his mother Grace (L2), and his little brother Wave Walker (L88). Spread out they eventually began their move off shore and reconvened together. More Orcas began moving towards this subpod and we were able to spend some time with the brother-sister duo, Raggedy (K40) & Cappuccino (K21) before having to leave. Before stopping off near Swirl Rocks where we found a pair of Bald Eagles and a few Harbor Seals we got a glimpse of some Dall's Porpoise!! One never calls it quites until the boat is back at the dock, because while heading up Rosario Strait we had a 3rd Minke Whale make an appearance! Quite the day, full of surprises around literally every corner." - Naturalist Kate Janes

posted by Island Adventures Whale Report @ 9:39 PM   0 Comments

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Whales Spotted In The Salish Sea

T19b slaps his pectoral fin several times in a row.
A pair of bald eagles scuffle over a vermilion rockfish.

The female won the prize!
Captain Michael just called with news that they are on scene with Orcas! Stay tuned for today's account from Naturalist Bart Rulon. We had to go all the way to Canada today in order to find orcas for our passengers. The orcas were off the east side of Vancouver Island across from San Juan Island. It was transients today, including T18, T19, T19b, and T19c. As soon as we arrived on scene it was obvious that they had just made a kill because they were circling and surfacing in one area. Soon we saw one of the females surface with a harbor seal in her mouth. After they finished eating the orcas gathered together and started swimming southward, giving us some nice views as they all surfaced close together. Later in our trip we spotted two bald eagles scuffling over a vermilion rockfish on the rocks at the south end of Lopez Island. It didn't take long before the larger female won that little battle, and she flew off with the prize in her talons. Other wildlife we spotted today included harbor seals, harbor porpoises, Dall's porpoises, common murres, rhinoceros auklets, Heermann's gulls, purple sea stars, great blue herons and all three species of cormorants. Naturalist Bart Rulon

posted by Island Adventures Whale Report @ 2:32 PM   0 Comments

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

A Date With The L12's

L41, Mega, breach sequence!


As soon as we found the orcas we saw this spyhop.
L77, Matia, breaches right after Mega's breach!
L77, Matia, does a cartwheel to start out the action!

Word has arrived from the Island Explorer 3 that our guests are enjoying a visit with member's of L Pod Orcas! Check back to hear from Naturalist Bart Rulon on their encounter. Jim from Catchmore Charters called us this morning letting us know he spotted orcas while he was out fishing this morning. On our way out to look at them we stopped at Colville Island to view the harbor seals relaxing on the rocks there. We started seeing dorsal fins around Iceberg Point. Almost as soon as we arrived the orcas changed direction and swam over toward us. Captain Carl turned off the engines and one of the orcas did a spyhop. The group we were watching was part of L-pod including L12, Alexis, L41 Mega, L77 Matia, L94 Calypso, L22 Spirit, L79 Skana, and L25 Ocean Sun. Later the action really got started after Matia did two cartwheels in a row, then Mega came up with a huge breach! Not to be outdone, Matia followed that up with a breach of her own. During the next fifteen minutes we saw Spirit do two spyhops as she swam in front of the pod, and Mega breached two more times. After we left the orcas Captain Carl spotted a minke whale that gave us some great viewing for about fifteen minutes. On our way back to the dock we stopped in at the south end of Lopez Island to watch a bald eagle perched in a tree near her nest. Other wildlife spotted today included harbor porpoises, all three cormorant species, lots of common murres, rhinoceros auklets, red-necked phalaropes, great blue herons, and harlequin ducks. What a great day! Naturalist Bart Rulon

posted by Island Adventures Whale Report @ 3:53 PM   0 Comments

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