Wonderful afternoon encounter with Jpod off San Juan Island!! May 21, 2009

Harbor Porpoise in Haro Strait

Above and below, the new Jpod calf J44

Jpod including J 28 Polaris, off San Juan Island

J27 Blackberry

Members of Jpod off San Juan Island

If you look carefully at this picture you can just about make out Mt. Rainer

Swiftsure Race Yachts in the inner Harbour preparing for the race.

Brown Pelican

Harbor Seal in Kelp bed

We set off this afternoon in perfect conditions and shortly after departing a busy inner harbour caught up with Jpod and also a Brown Pelican on the west side of San Juan Island! When we first arrived on scene there was a group of Orcas south of Lime Kiln Whale Park and these members of Jpod were moving North. The group included J27 Blackberry, J28 Polaris and the new calf J44, just south of Lime Kiln Park. We followed about 12 members of Jpod that also included J17 Princess Angeline, J34 Doublestuff and J38 Cooke, as they moved north along the west side of San Juan Island up to Andrew's Bay. The rest of Jpod could be seen in the distance near Stuart Island.

On our way home we stopped at the Chain Islet and saw a number of Harbor Seals swimming in the kelp beds, a large number of Harlequin Ducks (at least a dozen) and Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oyster Catchers. In Haro Strait we saw well over a hundred Harbor Porpoise moving through the current and tide lines feeding on fish.

What a wonderful afternoon to be on the water!