CWR logs encounter #18 with J Pod

EncSummary: The team had received reports of likely residents in Rosario Strait early in the day, but the weather had prevented them from heading out. By mid-afternoon, the skies were clear on the west side of San Juan Island, and reports came in that the whales had reached Eagle Point. The team geared up and headed out at 15:15.

The team soon found their first whales off False Bay at 15:35. They initially found a tight group of females, J19, J42, J22, and J46, with J37, J40, and J59 just a bit ahead. The team briefly stuck with the group while they socialized, and then headed southeast to photograph a couple of males they had seen foraging nearby. They found J38 shadowing the group of females offshore, eventually leading them to the J19s kids: J51, J58, and J62. These three young whales socialized, while just behind them several more whales were loosely grouped and foraging. J39 sped past inshore of these whales as he made his way up Haro Strait.

The team moved on to the spread out, foraging whales, finding J40 with her calf J63, J49 and J44 travelling together, J47 and J57 foraging together, and J36 doing her own thing. J45 also eventually moved into the area. The team moved on to some whales further ahead and even further offshore. They found J31 and J56 foraging together, while J47 and J57 caught up with J35, who was just offshore. Even further out, they saw another female foraging. This turned out to be J16, hunting on her own. The team saw one more whale behind them, J27 taking long dives as he searched for fish.

The team ended the encounter way offshore of Lime Kiln at 17:38 and headed back to the dock.