No calls but orcas nearby

Yesterday, we had a group of 7 transients head south through Blackney Pass. They were too far away for a proper ID. They bucked the tide all the way into Johnstone Strait where Jim on the Gikumi tried to get the necessary photos for later identification. They were silent but this may have been the same group we heard in the Strait three days ago. A group of seven were seen the day after in one of the close by waterways by the Island Odyssey. There were no males but there were two young calves and the group seemed to be interested in something in the water. stopping, changing direstion several times. When they were in Blackney Pass they passed the Parson Island Light and the seals sunning themselves on the rocks nearby. The seals stayed glued to the rocks. The other day we had a very beautiful Harbour seal haul out on the rocks across from the house and sun itself for several hours. This seal was a lovely light colour and we loved watching (from a distance) the stretches, yawns and scratchings. No word on any resident orcas, however, the humpbacks are around and OrcaNetwork has been reporting that all of J Clan (the Js, Ks, and Ls) have returned to the San Juan area in Washington. The Southern residents normally turn up ahead of the northern community by at least a month.
Helena & Paul
31 May 2006 09:52:25 PDT