Whale Watching Report

We finally had a hot, sunny day today as promised by the weather man. We started off our day with a California sea lion hauled out on a green channel marker in Guemes Channel. While we were watching him an immature bald eagle flew right over us. Next we headed around the south end of Lopez island and stopped at Swirl Rocks to view several Harbor Seals hauled out on the rocks. As we headed over Salmon Bank we saw lots of rhinoceros auklets and 6 pacific loons. Near Eagle Point, on the west side of San Juan Island, we found J-pod spread out over a couple of miles. The first orca we saw was J1, Ruffles, and soon he joined his mom Granny, J2. They were obviously chasing fish with lots of quick direction changes at the surface. Later we moved closer to shore and watched J14, Samish, J40 Suttles, and J30 Riptide. They were pretty active showing us a breach and several spy hops. J40 was playing around doing numerous tail slaps, and at times just holding her tail straight up in the air. Later Riptide looked just like a high jumper when he jumped sideways right over a large log that was drifting around!! I've never seen that before. Unfortunately I was on the microphone talking at the time, and missed that photo opportunity. Riptide also did a spyhop right in the middle of a floating raft of Bull Kelp. The picture shown for today is J30, Riptide doing another one of his spyhops. Other species seen today included harbor porpoise, pigeon guillemots, pelagic cormorants, double-crested cormorants, turkey vultures, and a black oystercatcher. What a great day!! Naturalist, Bart Rulon