L pod! Transients? L pod? Transients!
It was a confusing day with orcas today. With L pod having been spotted the day before in Haro Strait, when orcas were first seen off the Southern end of San Juan Island everyone assumed it was the Residents again. The whale watch fleet was deployed, as were the various researchers, to spend time with our famed orcas. What a surprise it was then, especially to me since I had just informed our boat load of guests all about the local pods, that the orcas in the waters were actually Transients.
Transient orcas are the ones that you hear so much about on National Geographic. Throwing sea lions through the air and attacking grey whale calves are what earned killer whales there television notoriety. They are predominately marine mammal eaters and therefore have a very different travel pattern and lifestyle from our Residents. For us that means adjusting how we are going to plan our trip for the day.
For starters we motored over the North end of San Juan Island to get around Henry Island and meet up with the orcas as they swam North. Just as we got on scene with the other boats though, the Transients disappeared. One moment they were swimming along and the next they were gone. After milling around like whales the boats finally realized that the orcas had headed into Open Bay, a shallow bit of water at the South end of Henry Island. That was a confusing turn of events for us naturalists as there is not much in Open Bay and so no obvious reason for Transients to be in there. There are no seal haul-outs and porpoises would most likely not put themselves in such a dangerously confined space where they could easily be cornered by predators.
Strange or otherwise the orcas being in that bay gave us an opportunity to watch them swim back and forth and then finally regroup and head out and around Kellet Bluff. The big male, T20, lead his pod of females and one juvenile off into the distance as we watched them go before heading for home once again. It was a unique experience showcasing how unpredictable these animals can be, despite all of the knowledge that we have amassed. It is what makes this job so fascinating and keeps me coming back each season. The chance to always see and learn new things.
So, from all of us at San Juan Safaris, to all of you with expanding horizons, thank you and we will...
See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist