L12s

L94
San Juan Island
June 17, 2009
Photo by Ken Balcomb,
Center for Whale Research

June 17
Ken Balcomb encountered the L12's spread out a few miles off False Bay on the west side of San Juan Island at 10:45 a.m. The whales were very spread out and the conditions were poor. Only L89 and L94 (see above photo) were documented, but reports confirm that all of the L12's were in the area.
Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island

L12s and L22s

L12's
TRIPLE Tail Lobs!
June 17, 2009
Photo by Jim Maya


June 17
We left the L 12s, which I think is a new resident pod, off of False Bay, West Side, San Juan Island, today at 5:00 PM going East down island. I have never captured a triple tail lob before (see photo!). I don't even know if I've ever seen one. A remarkable day! I hope you enjoy these photos.
Update:
Orcas about 9 PM headed N past Hannah Hts, San Juan Island.
Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Westside Charters


June 17
I was out on a Zodiac today at 1pm and we caught up with the L 12's at Cattle Point , San Juan Island. They were foraging with a few tail slaps and one mighty breach from Mega - too bad I missed it. Just looked the wrong way at that moment. Happened so fast and he never did it again. They were travelling slowly north close to shore.
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Orca-Magic POW.

June 17
We had the L22's, L22, L89, L79 and and additional whale L-77, I believe, off the westside yesterday (6/17). Lots of back and forth activity, at one point L-22 was bracketed by both her much bigger sons.
Jeff Hogan, Killer Whale Tales

June 17,
A group of 5 of the L-12, L-22's in a fairly close formation, slowly swimming from the Salmon Bank buoy northwest toward San Juan Island, from 12:55pm to 1:50pm. At first they seemed to be traveling in 2 groups, then all 5 came together, and appeared to be resting in the slack flood tide with little tidal exchange. I could ID L-12, L-89 (Solstice near the Solstice!), and not sure, but think the other male was L-85, along with 2 other females. The sun glinting off their backs and through the spray of their exhalations, the 2 males shoulder to shoulder coming up together, was beautiful, but made it difficult to ID.
Caroline Armon, San Juan Excursions

L pod heading in

June 16
Orca Network received a message from Sandy Buckley of San Juan Island that the L12's had been sighted 5 miles west of Race Rocks, heading in, at around 4 pm.
We had another indirect report they were off Secretary Island, off Victoria around 6 pm, should have more info. on this sighting later -

L12s

June 16
On the afternoon trip, we headed out to see the humpbacks again, only to hear that no one knew where they were. Just as I informed my passengers that we no longer knew where the Humpbacks were came news of the L 12 inbound. We were off and saw them both on our afternoon and evening trips, the only US boat to see Orcas this afternoon. They were West of Victoria. One other US boat got to them this evening.
And an update:
The L 12s right now are off False Bay, San Juan Island headed toward Eagle Pt. 8:45 PM
Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Charters, San Juan Island

June 12
Hi Susan - Just to let you know that the L12's, K20 and K38 went west early yesterday morning (6/12). So the (orca) sightings in Puget Sound must have been transients. Mark Malleson found the L12's, K20 and K38 at aprox 11:30 am yesterday (6/12) off Jordan River, B.C going west. Warmest Regards,
Simon Pidcock, Ocean Ecoventures

June 10
Dave Ellifrit, Emma Foster, Erin Heydenreich, John Durban and Leigh Hickmott of the Center for Whale Research headed out after receiving a report of the L12's off Hein Bank from Jeanne Hyde at 6 a.m. At 9:48 a.m. L85 was spotted off Salmon Bank (48° 25.958 N; 123° 00.629 W) traveling slowly towards San Juan Island (48° 27.93 N; 123° 00.84 W). The whales were very spread out and apparently foraging. The whales present were: L12, L42, L77, L94, L22, L79, L85, L89, K20 and K38. All whales that were in the area were documented. This is the first sighting of any L pod whales since March, and the second CWR encounter with L's in Puget Sound this year.

Correction from June 10th report from CWR:
We had an error on our website for encounter 24/June 10 - L12s & K20/38 (reported in the 6/12 Orca Network report). The whales seen were: L12, L25, L41, L77, L94, L79, L85, L89, L22, K20, K38. Thanks!
Erin, Center for Whale Research

June 10
June 10, from 1:15pm to 2:05pm, we were delighted to watch L-41, L-77, K-20, and K-38, actively foraging off of False Bay. They headed west-northwest at first, then made directional changes and milling as the flood tide picked up. Lots of percussive behaviors- tail slaps, pectoral slaps, and breaches! L-41 was upside down, repeatedly slapping his curled tail flukes back on the surface! Nice to see the K's with the L's, and familiar behavior- hope they got some salmon.
Caroline Armon, San Juan Excursions

L12
San Juan Island
June 10, 2009
Photo by Marie O'Shaughnessy

June 10
The two K's and L12s started off at 5:12 am off west San Juan Island - headed north, turned, headed south---and have been doing the shuffle ALL DAY LONG, all day between South Beach and Landbank- I dont even think they have made it to Lime Kiln yet. Up down, up down -- CLASSIC. When I saw all the big fins this morning I thought we had a superpod on our hands - but not.
Sandy Buckley, San Juan Island

June 10
The 3.30pm Ocean Magic encountered some of L pod orca this afternoon off San Juan Island.We found 'Mega', L 41 and 'Alexis, L 12 (see photo above), foraging 1-2 miles offshore from other members of this family group. We watched for a while and then moved closer to shore where we watched L 77 'Matia' and two others that I weren't able to identify, as they were far off. They were all heading North. I did hear that K 20 and K38 had joined this group so perhaps those two seen very close to shore were the K's.
Marie, O'Shaughnessy, Orca-Magic, Prince Of Whales, Victoria B.C.

June 10
Southern Resident Killer Whales on the west side of San Juan Island. We identified members of L-pod, one of the three pods of the southern resident killer whales. We first saw some members of L-pod just south of Lime Kiln State Park heading North. Just as we decided to make a trip around San Juan Island following the orcas, they changed their direction and began heading South. We quickly changed our direction and began heading south as well. We watched as the orcas traveled and even spy hopped. The captain then decided to head north and take a peak at the Cactus Islands. These islands are very beautiful. We then began looking for bald eagles and to our surprise found not only one but four. On our way back to Friday Harbor we got a good look at some of the mouflon sheep on Spieden. These sheep are awesome to look at. Another great adventure in the San Juan Islands with San Juan Safaris!!!
Jeannette, Naturalist, Crew At San Juan Safaris Whale Watch Wildlife Tours