Captain Mike, Naturalists Emily and Kevin, and guests on board the Sea Lion were lucky enough to see K Pod on yesterday's Whale Watch Tour! This is the first tour of the year where we were able to view our Southern Resident Killer Whales. K Pod, comprised of 19 individual orcas, returned in full to the waters surrounding San Juan Island. This pod was spread out into 3 traveling groups, all headed east from Victoria, B.C. towards the west side of San Juan Island. K Pod is typically seen the least amount of the 3 resident orca pods, so we all hope that this is a good omen for the coming summer and the 2014 salmon run! While traveling guests were able to see several great spy hops. Orcas spy hop so they can check out what is happening above the water. They are just as curious about us, as we are about them!
Besides great views of K Pod, guests were also treated to almost 20 Stellar Sea Lions at Whale Rocks! At 10 feet long and up to 2,000lbs Stellars are the largest of the Sea Lion family.
K Pod, Stellars, and so much sun it felt like summer, it was a great day on the water!
Naturalist Emily
M/V Sea Lion, San Juan Safaris