Support Orca Network - Webshop & Membership

Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Related Resources  & Links

NEW Federal
Orca - Vessel Law

Be Whale Wise

WA State Vessel Law

Whales and Dolphins BC

This morning the part of L-Pod that's here (the L26s, L43s, L4s, L47s) went north on the west side of San Juan Island, then they came back by Lime Kiln and Land Bank heading south at about 2 PM.
Monika Wieland

This afternoon from Land Bank's Westside Preserve, from left to right: L55 Nugget (b. 1977), her newest baby L118 Jade (b. 2011), daughter L103 Lapis (b. 2003), L105 Fluke (b 2004), oldest daughter L82 Kasatka (b. 1990), and L95 Nigel (b. 1996). Photo by Monika Wieland, June 22, 2014.

1:26pm - On the west side of Sinclair (2-3 miles north of Anacortes ferry landing). Five Orcas! Same group.
12:24pm - Orcas south of Cypress Island!
Kathy Halstead

12:14 - J pod, Bellingham channel (Just North of Anacortes, between Guemes Island and Cypress Island).
Chris Santana

Karoline Cullen, Galiano Island

Underwater whales. Video by Karoline Cullen, June 21, 2014.

Underwater whales. Photo by Karoline Cullen, June 21, 2014.

WOW! Kind of day today. We knew Residents were on west side San Juan Island and there were reports of Transients up north. We went up San Juan Channel to intercept the Ressies as they came up Haro Strait headed north. All of a sudden comes a report of a bunch of Transients at Seal Rock, right at the west end of San Juan Channel, where it meets Haro Strait. We stopped on them. It was the TO49A's and TO36A's swimming together. 7 animals. We watched them take a seal and then here comes J Pod! Spread out across the strait. They were only about a half mile apart and that is rare. We hopped over to J Pod with Granny leading up Haro. Then here comes the J 17's in close to us. We hooked up with them and they started putting on an air show. Breaches and cartwheels. While we were with the J's the T's came into Haro Strait and started moving north right along the shore of Stuart Island. Awesome day. Great conditions. Looks like the J's (at least some of them) went up to the Fraser River and the L's stayed down to the south.
James Gresham

J17 Princess Angeline breaching in Haro Strait Saturday. Photo by James Gresham, June 21, 2014.

A bright, peaceful Saturday (6/21) as J-pod and part of L-pod intermingled and swam in resting lines towards San Juan Island. It was so lovely to witness so many whales swimming so close together and in no hurry at all. Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, June 21, 2014.

This morning around 11:30 J-Pod and part of L-Pod made their way north through Haro Strait in two big, tight groups - I saw them from Land Bank's Westside Preserve on San Juan Island. Between 2 and 3 PM some (if not all) of the L-Pod whales made their way back south past Lime Kiln Lighthouse. This time they were very spread out and doing some foraging as they slowly passed by.

J-Pod and part of L-Pod are still hanging around, and this morning they made their way north through Haro Strait in two large groups. Always a pleasure to see so many dorsal fins! Photo by Monika Wieland, June 21, 2014.

Bros: J34 Doublestuf and J38 Cookie this morning off Land Bank's Westside Preserve. More shore-based photos of Js and Ls the last couple days up on Orcawatcher blog. Photo by Monika Wieland, June 21, 2014.

A gathering of nobility. Photo by James Mead Maya, June 21, 2014.

Shachi (J19) spyhopping and Granny (J2) tail lobbing on this peaceful evening. Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, June 20, 2014.

It has just been so spectacular the last few days!! Another treat today as we got to see most of L's with some J's scattered in going through Active Pass and heading into the Strait of Georgia. I would list off all their behaviours but to keep it short and sweet....they did EVERYTHING!!! Such a cool day!
Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver

The first pic is L90 showing off her moves with a bellyflop. Photo by Gary Sutton, June 20, 2014.

The second is just after the bellyflop and the whales in the scene are L91, L55, L118, L92 and L47. Photo by Gary Sutton, June 20, 2014.

A double treat for us on the shore of Galiano Island today. Around 12 noon, one group of about 6 - 8 orcas went eastward through Active Pass. Then around 2 pm, a second group of 10 - 12 went through. The second group displayed many breaches, spyhops, tail slaps, and cartwheels.
Karoline Cullen

Orca whales - Galiano Island. Video by Karoline Cullen, June 20, 2014.

By Galiano Island. Photo by Karoline Cullen, June 20, 2014.

Photo by Karoline Cullen, June 20, 2014.

Photo by Karoline Cullen, June 20, 2014.

Photo by Jill Hein, June 20, 2014.

Photo by Jill Hein, June 20, 2014.

Photo by Jill Hein, June 20, 2014.

J19 Sachi and J41 Eclipse near the north end of Rosario Strait with Cherry Point Refinery in the background. Photo by Connie Bickerton, June 20, 2014.

A group passed by Point Roberts between 245 and 315. Travelling quickly. Very spread out. Three large males. One breach! Heading south. So exciting!
Sandra Scott

Arlene Soloman of Mayne Island BC, called at 1:40 pm to report a pod of 20+ orcas in Active Pass at Helen Pt, heading east between Mayne and Galiano Island. They saw 4 orcas pass by about 2 hours earlier.

3:57am - Echo and calls LK.
Connie Bickerton

ABOUT ORCA NETWORK  
Orca Network is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats.
Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network involves citizens in helping researchers track the movement of whales, and encourages people to observe whales from their homes, businesses, ferries, and beaches.
Whale reports are sent in to our Sighting Network and emailed out to researchers, agencies, and citizens on our network, and posted on our website (MAP of sightings also on website). Whale reports and observations are sent in by a variety of sources, and Orca Network does not guarantee the accuracy of any report or whale identification.

 

TO REPORT WHALES, CALL: 1-866-ORCANET (1-866-672-2638), email info@orcanetwork.org, or post sightings on our Orca Network Facebook page.

 

*BE WHALE WISE! BOATERS - NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS IN EFFECT AS OF MAY 16, 2011:

 "The new rules prohibit vessels from approaching any killer whale closer than 200 yards and forbid vessels from intercepting a whale or positioning the vessel in its path. This doubles the current approach distance of 100 yards. The rules go into effect May 16 and apply to all types of boats, including motor boats, sail boats and kayaks, in Washington"

 

For more information on the new Federal Regulations, visit the NOAA Fisheries website. 

 

 
To report harassment of whales in US waters, call NOAA Enforcement: 1-800-853-1964;

In Canadian waters, call DFO's Observe Record and Report (ORR) Violations Hotline: 1-800- 465-4336

Report the boat name &/or a description of the boat, & get photos if at all possible.