There is certainly a lot of excitement on the water today, from a variety of boats and yachts to BBQs on the shore, but most importantly..the orcas whales! We headed to the west side of San Juan Island today to oo and awe in the presence of our resident J-pod orcas. We spotted the orcas off every direction of the boat. Not to mention that two bald eagles were flying above us. The orcas were spread out from each other, occasionally joining with a family member to travel in a small closely knit group. We spotted at least one calf, with orange markings that will eventually turn white as the orca matures. The J-pod has had four new calves since 2009. Before we turned back to Friday Harbor the orcas gave us a grand finale. They breached and cartwheeled, creating big splashes and allowing us to view the white undersides of their bellies. The firework show tonight has quite an act to follow!
Sally
Naturalist