Js and Ks come in through Cattle Pass to Friday Harbor and beyond

July 12, 2018 – On hearing of Resident orcas heading south on the west side of San Juan Island we sailed south. We drifted through Turn Island Pass with many harbor seals basking in the sun. We crossed Griffin Bay to Harbor Rock and found a steller sea lion who accompanied us towards Goose Island. Cormorants were busy at their nests. A bald eagle was atop Cattle Point Lighthouse. We met some members from K pod including the K14’s and some of the K13’s approaching Salmon Bank. A distant orca did 7 backflips in a row as we traveled alongside of K27 with her 7 yr old son, K44. After crossing Salmon Bank towards Iceberg Pt they made a decision to travel north through Cattle Pass. This is the first time we’ve seen Residents going up Cattle Pass. Many tail slaps and simultaneous spy hops as they entered the pass with 5 knots of flood current in their favor. We had all of J pod plus L87 minus the J16’s and J17’s who stayed on the westside of San Juan Island and we had the K13’s and K14’s minus the K12’s, K16’s and K21 who went south towards Smith Island. They traveled in three groups alongside Lopez shoreline and then Shaw Island where we left them at Yellow Island. We sailed inside of Coon Island and Nob Island for calm waters to enjoy our dinner.