WOW!  What a fabulous day on the water….and a memorable last trip of the season!  Leaving Friday Harbor with promising weather and the news that orca vocalizations were heard on the Port Townsent hydrophone three hours before, spirits are high.  The water is flat clam today and yesterday’s rain and wind have done an excellent vanishing act.

A stop right before Cattle Point turns into a birders paradise!  An adult Bald eagle perches proudly on beach logs scanning the water for prey.  Surf Scoters float in a large group ahead of us, and one Grebe pops around on the edge of the flock.  Then two Marbled Murrlets appear bobbing off our port side and quickly dive…reappearing moments later a few yards away.

Little Harbor seal heads skim through the water on their way somewhere, for something.

On we go, heading out into Haro Strait.  The water out there today looks, well….big.  As in vast…huge…very expansive…and only two little dots far off for boats.  Flat water….but no ripples in the water and no fins.  We look and look….and LOOK.  Finally, way out toward Victoria we stop.  Splash!  In goes the hydrophone….and instantly we hear it!  J pod calls!!  And the vocalizations are loud!  They are close…somewhere close…binoculars pop up to every eye…and we look some more, but now with excitement and hope.  This is a great day to have four extra crew along and all those experienced eyes scanning the horizon.  Before long Chris shouts…”There! ”  …and we know now, this last trip will be with Southern Resident Orca whales!  Soon Doublestuf, J-34 is cruising and foraging off our stern.  His mother then appears, and little sibling and cousin.  In the distance we see a mother and calf.  Whales!  Lots of whales!  ”

Now for the surprise!  Two long backs suddenly appear on the other side of the boat!  While everyone has been focused on the port side, the beautiful Orca whales…two Humpback whales have cruised along beside us.  Engines silent everyone watches as Orca whales amaze us on one side, and Humpback whales amaze us on the other.  One of the humpbacks is identifiable as “Split Fin” as the fin is clearly split in two.  We are treated to a huge pec fin waving in the air as the whale rolls…and then a massive cartwheel as the tail stock flips through the air and crashes down in the water!

Which way to watch?  No way to lose on this one!

The weather holds, we enjoy these amazing animals in lovely light, warm temperatures and flat water.  But we are a long way from home, and time flies when you are with whales.  Trust me on this.

Too soon it seems, but we turn back for the trip across Haro Strait and Friday Harbor.  The whales continue west….we turn our bow to the east.  I take one last, long look…and you know…I really do think that Split Fin waved a special goodbye.  Don’t you?  ”Vaya con Dios,” I whisper.

Looking up,  I see….smiles all around!

October days offer surprises!  The weather can be a picture perfect of the grey and misty Pacific Northwest….OR…exactly the opposite…with warm autumn sunshine bathing the islands, water and wildlife in bright morning light or golden glow.

The last two weeks have been outstanding in variety of animals, birds and weather.  Even the exotic game animals on Spieden Island have been easy to see…clustered in the open grassy areas on Spieden Island.

Humpback whales!  How amazing it is to see these massive whales, slowly cruising our local waters…in no hurry it seems.  Hasn’t anyone reminded them of the long migration ahead?  Appearently it’s of no consequence.  We have seen both individual adult whales and adult and juvenile pairs.  The numbers of Humpbacks have increased in the past 10 years, and I can imagine a time when we may see many more!

Orca whales!  Yes!  Both Transient and Resident Orcas have been in and out…out and in…many days during October.  Some days we have found J pod….and then J and K pod…oh, wait…sometimes all three pods!  This time of year I think I have more casual encounters….yes, always on the look out for salmon….but more time for socializing.

The Steller sealions have been growing in numbers and now show up at the north end of San Juan Channel often.  One day we  a large group surprise us, all gathered around the edge of the rocky shore…waiting turns for being the king of the shore?  So many!  Another day a California sealion lunges among a group of three big Stellers…all out on a group shopping trip in Spieden Channel?

A Harbor seal with a huge salmon “in mouth”…migrating Bonaparte gulls in winter plumage….Dall porpoise, Harbor porpoise, adult Bald eagles….I make entries for each sighting in the wildlife logof The Western Prince.

I know I’m going to hate to see it end!  The last few trips are just days away….then we’ll tie the lines for the last time this season, button up the boat, walk up the dock…and begin the “winter wait.”

Waiting for a new season….with so many incredible memories to tide us through!

OK, I know it’s been awhile since I posted on the Western Prince blog.  It’s not from lack of wildlife though.  So let’s recap the month of October so far.  As anyone who knows me is aware, my favorite month to see whales is Setpember.  Well, October is shaping up to be as good if not better than September at this pace!

Most times when people come out with us, they are hoping to glimpse some of the amazing wildlife found in this area.  Especially orcas.  And while it has been a good summer for orca sightings, October has proven to be a great month for viewing more than one kind of whale!  We’ve had lots of encounters with our Resident pods (J, K, and L Pods), a few encounters with random groups of Transient (mammal feeding) Orcas, and amazingly–quite a few encounters with humpback whales!  Humpbacks used to be more plentiful in the Salish Sea, but were very nearly wiped out during the days of whaling (especially with the BC whaling station in operation).  Folks used to say that we used to have a “resident” pod of humpbacks.  Well, 2011 is proving to be a banner year for humpbacks here, with sightings of not just one, but many times 2 or more.  Several humpbacks were seen over multiple days going back and forth in the same area, most likely foraging.  Here are a few pictures from recent encounters:

Which brings us up to today (SUNDAY, October 9th).  We started the day on the Western Explorer with no reports of any type of whale in the area.  Cloudy skies looked ominous, but we were hopeful.  By the time we left the dock, we had a report of “a large group” of orcas out west but heading into the area.  They were just at the outer range of the Explorer, but we hoped the flood tide would push them in further.  As we headed south, the skies began to clear and the seas were quite calm.  Which made viewing the 30 or so Stellar Sea Lions on and around Whale Rocks much easier.  Soon we were headed out west towards Victoria, BC when we had a report of 2 Pacific White-Sided Dolphins!  WOW!  We found them playing and leaping out of a boat wake, and this was my first encounter all year with these playful dolphins!

Soon it was time to head further west to see the orcas.  Under crystal clear skies and warm sun, we finally found them foraging and going every direction around the Constance Bank area south of downtown Victoria, BC.  We dropped our hydrophone in and we got to listen in as J Pod was vocalizing like crazy.  J8 Speiden and J30 Riptide were our first two whales to ID.  We also saw J34 Doublestuff as he was chasing after two juveniles as if to play with them.  These two little guys put on quite the surface active behaviors, everything from tail lobs to backward swimming to spyhops and even a few breaches!  It was so beautiful.  The calmness at the surface was broken by loud blows when the whales would come up to exhale.  Then down they’d go and we’d listen to them underwater.  Before we knew it, it was time to head back to Friday Harbor.  We searched on the way home for the two humpbacks that had been reported at Constance Bank as well as the two humpbacks also reported at Hannah Heights, but couldn’t locate either group.  Dozens of porpoises were zipping about in the currents at Middle Bank.

Did I mention I love October whales?

John Boyd (JB)
SSAMN Marine Naturalist, Western Explorer

It’s the “Stinky MINKE Whale”!!!  Our trips this week take us all around the Salish Sea.  On Thursday we have great sightings of the Southern Resident Killer Whales off Salmon Bank.  The weatheris cloudy and grey, but the Orca whales are busy traveling south and then to the west with signs of foraging.  Fish?  Lots of them?  Oh, I wish I could see underwater!!!

Ohhhh!  The birders of the northwest rejoice!  A loon!  Right here in Haro Strait!  Surprise!

Ohhhh, again….and I think this one is L-94 passing by the side of the boat.  Remember….I have a 400mm lens!  But what a great view for everyone, 400mm or not!  We watch this family all afternoon, hopefully finding lots of salmon.

Hey!  Here I come, catching up to mom!  Part of the L pod for sure!

Thursday we follow L pod members around Salmon Bank area.  Friday we search the same area and find Minke whales, Steller sealions, Harbor seals, Bald eagles and a few porpoise.  Saturday morning we travel far to the north as there are no sightings to the south.  We have incredible sightings of seals, sealions, eagles and a Minke whale.  Then, right before the afternoon trip departs on Saturday, we hear the Southern Residents have been sighted incoming west of Victoria!  Yikes!  Lots of calculation and the decision is we can most likely make it IF the whales keep traveling toward us.  Decision made, we strike out toward Victoria, B.C. and….after a long run, we are rewarded with a fabulous sighting of L pod and J pod!!!  The weather is cool and grey, but spirits are high and somehow the cold just doesn’t seem to bother anyone.  Oh, did I mention the blankets, hot coffee and hot chocolate?  Even though part of the trip is in thick fog, everyone has a great time…and when I do drive by of the ferry lane after the trip, everyone seemed to have made it onto the 6:30 p.m. boat that wanted to leave the island!  The lanes are empty!  YAY!  Great end for everyone!

Oh, September?  Where are you going?  Things are changing so fast.  Take the sea birds for instance.  Quick!  Out come the winter outfits.  Check out this Common Murre.  Ususally the coloration is a solid dashing black for the entire head and upper body, with chic sea bird white on the breast.  Then, take the boat naturalists for another indicator that the seasons are marching on.  Last week, short pants, short sleeve shirts, and NO socks.  Ah, but it was all different by Thursday….yes, socks (wool), long pants, three layers between the shirts and jackets…oh, and gloves.

Although we experience some cloudy weather, a few rain drops and some light chop on the water….the wildlife viewing is spectactular.  The Bald eagles are back!  One day we find six adults as we meander through the waterways.  Steller sealions practice their Fall - Winter - Spring assignments of being the biggest bully, appearing to have the biggest body, letting loose with the loudest roar and catching the most fish.  Whale Rocks provides high action with  sealions, birds and currents.  The Harbor seals hardly seem to noitce any of it!

Thursday and Friday we find all three pods of Southern Resident Killer Whales out in Haro Strait.  Just back in from a trip out the Strait of Juan de Fuca, they are busy hunting for salmon in family groups.  Yes, the weather is slipping into Fall.   The wildlife is changing…into Fall coloration and presence.  The colors are changing…from grey sky, to brilliant blue, to bright afternoon light, to rain spitting from the clouds…suddenly here, then gone.  And then there are the other signs…the hats, the gloves…oh, and did I mention the hot chocolate??????????

9/11

People ask me sometimes if my job gets routine.  For example, today we had two trips aboard the Western Explorer.  Both times we went to the south end of San Juan Island.  Both times we saw the same groups of whales.  But each trip was anything but routine, and both trips were amazingly unique.

For our first trip, we headed south where we had reports of “lots of whales” but no one had called in any IDs.  Along the way, we were distracted by a couple of bald eagles perched in a large snag, and then of course we had to make the stop at Whale Rocks for a quick peek at the growing number of Stellar Sea Lions that are coming back after a summer of hanging out with the female Stellars.

Soon it was time to go look at whales, and we decided to take the long way around and go out to Hein Bank first to see if there were any humpbacks or minke whales lurking about.  Calm seas made for ideal spotting conditions, but alas none were found.  So we headed back towards the island where orcas were spread out from Eagle Point to Hannah Heights.  We found a nice little group off to themselves and we were treated to some very nice viewings of J Pod, K Pod, and L Pod!  Yup–a SUPER POD!  First came J2 Granny, followed by many more whales closer to shore.  We dropped the hydrophone into the water and it was amazing.  Tons of calls, some very distant, some very close.  Lots of S1 calls and clicks and whistles.  The distinct sound of the K Pod kitten calls.  Whales were everywhere, and when we finally had to leave, we had to go out quite aways to get clear of whales and make it back to the dock.

So soon it was time for our second trip and again we headed south.  But this time we found ourselves out at Hein Bank–this time with orcas!  L72 Racer and gang were off to themselves, and we found ourselves with lots of whales and we were the ONLY boat within 5 miles!  The water by this time was absolute glass, and with the engines shut down, you could hear the blows of whales near and far (and some really far!)  We also saw L26, L92 hanging around.  The whale appeared to be heading for Port Angeles when suddenly they all made a turn and started heading west for a bit.  This was followed by yet another turn and the whales were all heading back towards San Juan.  By this time, whales were spread over an area of at least 8 miles, which led to a nice conversation about how far we think whales can hear each other (about 10 miles).  Lots of play behavior, lots of chasing each other, and lots of salmon jumping!  At one point, the only two boats in the area were ourselves and the Center for Whale Research.  It was as if the ocean had been reserved for just us.  As the sun headed west, we headed north back to Friday Harbor with big grins plastered on our faces!

John Boyd (JB)

Marine Naturalist, Western Explorer

Friday Harbor

Whales and weather are fabulous lately!  The Southern Residents spent last Thursday and Friday circling around their usual territory here in the San Juan Islands.  Both J and K pods transited Haro Strait heading north on Thursday afternoon, and then on Friday we had J pod almost all to ourselves headed south.

The amazing thing is to realize you are in short pants and a t-shirt and NOT cold!  No gloves, hats or socks on these trips!  And it appears the weather will hold through the weekend.

Heading south both days we got to see lots of Harbor seals and the Steller sealions too.  The birds are changing into “winter clothes”…or feathers, so it’s interesting when you realize which bird you have in sight.  That’s the thing about nature and “wild-ness”…things are always, always changing.  So, I’ll keep my gloves, hat and socks handy…right in my backpack!

Well, with the changing of the month, I come to my favorite whale month of the year.  That’s right–September whales.  What makes them so different from the whales we see the rest of the year?  It’s hard to really put into words.  Do they breach more, or spyhop more, or vocalize more?  Not really.   They just are different.  Maybe it’s the cooling temperatures marking the arrival of fall.  Maybe it’s the sun moving back south that lights them in a more orangey glow.  All I know is that September tends to be the month I enjoy most with whales.  And yesterday was off to a good start.  We left on the morning trip aboard the Western Explorer with 12 intrepid souls.  We had no reports of orcas–just one vague rumor that was already 4 hours old.  But we decided to head north and search into the “nooks and crannies” where other boats wouldn’t normally look.  And that’s fine with me as it takes me to one of my favorite areas–Plumper Sound and Georgoson Pass.  We stopped and scouted all the bays and inlets looking for Transients, but didn’t see anything.  But the scenery of the pass is spectacular and we were all quite happy to view it.  And as we popped out into Georgia Strait, we got a call that whales were found, and only about 4 miles away from our location!  So off we sped,and soon found ourselves watching members of J Pod, K Pod, and some Ls too.  Our first encounter was with J Pod, and it was easy to pick out J26 Mike and his open saddle patch.  The whales were in nice tight groups, and were meandering slowly west.  Lots of tail slaps, a few breaches, and a huge spyhop.  We also got to see the K13s, which include K27 and her new calf K44.  What an orangey looking guy he is!  A quick stop at Eastpoint to look at harbor seals and then it was time to head back to the dock.

Mt. Baker from Georgia Strait

Our second trip was also amazing (and one thing I love about my job is I can have multiple trips in one day and they won’t be anything alike!)  This time we still headed north, but first had to make a stop off above Flattop Island so we could look at a minke whale.  He was mid-sized, but it was great to actually see a whale on our trip (since orcas are really dolphins…)  After 4-5 surfacings, the minke would make a long 5-7 minute dive, so we watched for 2 intervals before heading west.  But as we passed the Canoe Islands, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and Ivan made the quick turn so we could watch a pair of bald eagles hunting in a large patch of bull kelp.  One eagle made 2 attempts to grab something out of the kelp, but missed both times and returned to the trees.  Soon we were off again, wondering what we’d find next on our way to see the orcas.  4 very playful harbor porpoises were zooming around at the surface.  As the sun headed more westerly, everything started getting that cool late afternoon glow.  And before we knew it, we had huge groups of whales passing the boat.  At one point, there must have been 5-6 whales all in a huge resting-type line, practically on top of each other.  The whales by this time were pretty mixed together, with Js, Ks, and the Ls all mixed in big groups.  J30 Riptide hanging out with a bunch of other J whales.   K21 following behind the rest of Ks.  The whales appeared to kind of gather themselves up and then practically launched down Haro Strait, with lots of tail slaps, breaches, and porpoising.  It was amazing.

Did I mention I love September whales?

By Friday the sunny weather has returned to the San Juan Islands, but the Southern Resident Orca whales are still missing.  With almost flat calm water and a warm breeze it is easy to stand on the foredeck and look….and look…and look for seals, sea lions, sea birds….and fins!  We crawl at a slow pace along the southern shore of Lopez Island checking out all the little harbor seal pups bobbing about in the water looking “lost.”  Sea birds cover the rocky reef islands, allowing great ovservation of a great blue heron, adult bald eagles, cormorants, gulls, common murres and a few auklets.  Aware that an hour and a half had slipped by, knowing it was soon time to search for minke whales on Salmon Bank…my eyes lock onto three gleaming, sleek, (could it be???)  black FINS!  Better yet, they are right on our bow coming toward us!!  I almost rub my eyes, I am so surprised by the sudden appearance of just what my mind was willing me to see!  They are gone as quickly as they appeared.  Quickly I tell Captain Pete and the passengers….keep a sharp eye out…scan everywhere…ALL AROUND us….transient orca whales can be slippery characters.  The minutes tick by…six…seven…and then, way up ahead of us…three fins slip by the shoreline!  Another has crossed under our bow, and is way out the the other side.  The final count is four adults and one calf.  What a grand hour of whale watching follows this amazing find.  We see foraging in kelp beds, slapping, quick turns, a spy hop, little lunges….and then underwater disapearing acts and fast travel.  A close look at my photos show T-36B with a very well marked fin…small half moon out of the tip area and a clear notch at the base.  Spirits soar as we all enjoy the energy and magnificence of whales in the wild….and the special addition of the element of “SURPRISE!”

Can you see the wee head surfacing next to the adult fin?

Look carefully!  Another surprise!

We’ve had oodles of transient (mammal-feeding) orcas in the area the past several days. Transients orcas, in stark contrast to our resident orcas which mainly eat salmon, only dine on warm-blooded prey (e.g. seals, sea lions, porpoises, and even other whales). There are about 30 transients hanging out in Puget Sound. We saw the T100 family group yesterday and today we visited with a whale that I think many of us have never met before - T31! T31 is an absolutely MASSIVE adult male complete with an enormous (perhaps 6 foot-tall) dorsal fin that is very pointy at the top. This big, handsome fellow is usually seen traveling by himself and today was no exception. We found him slinking around the Chain Islands over near the city of Victoria, B.C. This is the time of year when most of the baby harbor seals are leaving their mothers. As cruel as it may sound, these seal pups are very naive and probably have a thing or two to learn about big, black, triangular dorsal fins (being the orcas). During the months of August and September, young harbor seals are at the top of the menu for these apex predators.  Dr. Robin Baird, a marine mammal scientist from the Cascadia Research Collective located in Washington State, has determined that transient killer whales eat twice as much during the months of August and September than they do at any other part of the year. He has also found that they consume much more than they need to eat during this time. Just like most other animals, if food is in large abundance orcas will “stock up”, putting on lots of weight in order to survive the tougher parts of the year when a meal may not be as readily available. So, I know you might be feeling bad for those little baby harbor seals, but it is all apart of nature. I know that we all want the orcas to be fat and happy just as we want the seals to be fat and happy. Lots of food for all is a very good thing!

~katie

Easy to see who’s talking here!  Everyone!  What a fantastic day on the water, full of lots of action, sunshine, calm seas and amazing sightings.  The Steller sealions at Whale Rocks engage in a grand “Bully Contest” and woe be the sealion who is not boisterous, brazen and BIG!  Today there are over 14 Stellers who have returned to their winter cruising ground.  The game is mostly “King of the Rock”….although there is probably another game of “King of the Sea” going on as well.

We find two adult Bald eagles on Spieden Island in the morning, off nest duty.  Ahh, finally, time to enjoy a meal all alone!  No chicks visible today, but here is one adult perched high in a tree.

Looking up the hillside, I see another adult busy gorging itself on a dead animal.  Why not!  No calories lost in hunting this prey.  Just the work of pulling apart the food while keeping watching for danger.

But, let’s not forget the Southern Resident Orca whales!  We have wonderful opportunities to see these incredible whales on both trips today.

In the morning our trip takes us north up into Haro Strait as the whales cruise around the Stuart Island shore and are bound south.  All three pods are mixed in groups today!  Another day of “Super Pod” pleasures!!

It’s amazing to watch the families with youngsters zip past us.  Four calves, born in 2010 are present, as well as, YES!  Little K-44 swims by with mom!  Show off!  So, look who’s talkin’!  I’m just sayin’ !  It’s been a fantastic day!

Today we were able to catch up with some transient orcas down at Smith Island which is in the middle of eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca. First we made a quick stop at Whale Rocks to check out some amazing Steller Sea Lions. It’s amazing to see them here this time of year. They usually don’t start making an appearance in the San Juans until the first part of September, but we’ve already been seeing these big, grizzly guys for about a month now:

Today’s encounter was probably one of my favorite’s of the summer. Not only did we have all three pods in the area AGAIN, but this afternoon was clearly social hour for everyone. The orcas were traveling in big, tight play groups that were scattered all throughout the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Everywhere we looked we could see blows and whales socializing with one another. Here are some photos from today:

~katie

We’ve certainly been spoiled by the orcas this year. Not only have they been around practically every day, but we now have been seeing all three pods traveling together. Today was no exception as we puttered along with the whales while they cruised north in Haro Strait.

~katie