We narrowly escaped the rain today; luckily, by trip departure time it was done raining in the San Juan Islands. Overcast weather and threats of rain don't keep the whales away though and as we rounded Cattle Point and came up along the west side in some choppy waves, we were rewarded for our perseverance: J-pod was back from their few-day stint at sea.
Spread out in a long line along the west coast, we watched the orcas travel in their smaller groups past Lime Kiln State Park. One orca out on its own (Blackberry?) ceased hugging the coast and traveled out among the various whale watching vessels, breaching twice before continuing his meanderings.
Reports indicated that K-pod and L-pod had also been in the area from the day before and that at some point, all three resident groups may have joined up as a super-pod.
Our trip concluded with a circumnavigation of San Juan Island, a stop by to see some harbor seals--including one mom and nursing newborn pair--hauled out, two bald eagle nests and a few groups of harbor porpoises.
Serena, Naturalist
San Juan Safaris