Encounter #9 �March 23 �J's

Observers: Ken Balcomb, Erin Corra and Gail Richard

         Mark Malleson called to report that J pod was sighted north of Point Doughty, Orcas Island heading west toward President’s Channel between Orcas and Waldron Island. Ken, Erin Corra, and Gail Richard responded in “Orca Starletâ€? and at 1554 encountered the entire pod and L87 in several slow traveling sub-groups near Point Disney, Waldron Island. The sub-groups surfaced asynchronously, but were all heading in more or less the same direction â€?across President’s Channel toward Jones Island. They were not obviously feeding, and gave the impression that they were on the cusp of resting, so we simply took proof of presence photographs and left them at 1630 to return to Snug Harbor via Speiden Channel. J1, of course, was still missing and we have given up hope that he is anywhere alive. J28 and her baby, J46 “Starâ€?were looking fine, as were grandma J17, her baby J44, and sister J35 and her baby J47 “Lookerâ€? The whales changed direction several times and headed toward Speiden Channel after we left.

These photos were taken under MMPA permit #532-1822and/or DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34.