Friday, July 2 2010
We headed south on a beautiful day. Within sight of the Deception Pass Bridge, we came across J pod. J27, (Blackberry b. 1991) and J26 (Mike b. 1991) were quite visible with their huge dorsal fins, which can get to be five to six feet tall on a male Orca. Female dorsal fins are considerably smaller at three to five feet. Their body weight and length differ considerably also. Males get to be up to 28 feet and 13,000 pounds, whereas females are 22 to 24 feet at 6 to 8,000 pounds. The calves are 200 to 400 pounds and 6 to 8 feet at birth. Little five year old J41 (Eclipse b. 2005) did six breaches in a row as she was swimming along with her pod. Her mom J19 (Schachi b. 1979) stopped and turned around and then swam right near out boat and just ‘logged’ at the surface. She then swam in front of the boat and did a spy hop. This is when they come straight out of the water with about a third of their bodies showing. It is thought that this is coming up to just take a look around. Because of the way the lenses are on their eyes, they can see out of the water as well as underwater. We headed for home and went through the middle of the islands starting with San Juan Channel. There were two tufted puffins hanging out around the Cattle Point Lighthouse. These little birds are a rare treat here in the San Juan Islands. They are called “the clowns of the sea” because of their striking colors. We passed a Steller sea lion swimming in the channel. Other birds that were sighted today: Kingfishers, pigeon guillemots, rhinoceros auklets, cormorants, black oyster catcher, Caspian terns, marbled murreletts and numerous gulls. When we entered Bellingham Bay, a few of us watched a bald eagle swoop down and catch a fish. These are moments that you just have to be watching in that direction, there is not time to point them out to everyone. The lucky few! We also spotted harbor seals and harbor porpoise. It was another wonderful day on a wildlife cruise.
