Encounter Summary:

With many resident orcas reported heading north along the San Juan Island shoreline early on the morning of September 7th, Dave and Melisa departed Snug Harbor at 8:31 AM aboard Shachi. The encounter started at 8:40 AM with all of the L12s and L22s northbound in resting lines a mile southwest of Battleship Island. Neither Dave nor Melisa could remember the last time they had seen all the L12s and L22s together, let alone resting together!

Dave and Melisa then left the L12s and L22s, who were the trailing whales, at 9:35 AM a mile and half north of Battleship Island. At 9:47, they arrived on scene with the J11s, K12s, K13s, K16s, K21, L4s, L26s, and L47s traveling together in groups up Swanson Channel. Again, it was amazing to see the whales grouped up as that is just not as common as it used to be anymore.

At 10:31, Dave and Melisa left the Js, Ks, and Ls (35 individuals in total, nearly half of the southern resident population) and began the journey back home. They then arrived on scene with the grouped up L12s and L22s again at 10:39 AM a half mile southeast of Tip Top Hill, Stuart Island. The L12s and L22s had turned around once they reached Turn Point and were now headed back for San Juan Island. L22 and L25 spy hopped multiple times as they swam along. The encounter ended at 10:56 as the Ls neared Battleship Island again.