J1
Photo by Ken Balcomb

Encounter # 3 • January 27 • J1 Solo

Observers: Ken Balcomb, Dave Ellifrit

For two days (January 26 and 27), J1 has been seen alone in Haro Strait, and heard on the Lime Kiln hydrophone making what sounds like plaintive repetitive calls (S42 and S40) when no other whales were in sight or hearing range of the Haro Strait hydrophones. Such a solo appearance was considered unusual, so on 27 January Dave Ellifrit and Ken Balcomb headed out in r/v “Orca” to check on J1’s condition. He was swimming steadily north in Haro Strait off Battleship Island taking four or five breaths at the surface and then diving for six or seven minutes when we found him. He paid little heed of us and appeared to be in good health with no apparent injuries, so we left him on his way off Stuart Island as he was apparently heading toward Swanson Channel.

Postscript: We later learned that recordings made by Leah Robinson near Alert Bay and Paul Spong near Hanson Island on 23 January were identified by John Ford as being J pod calls. Was J1 with them there, and did he simply hurry on down ahead of them (180 miles @ 4 knots = 45 hours travel)? Or had he come around the ocean side of Vancouver Island (360 miles @ 4 knots = 90 hours travel) while the rest of the pod apparently came through Johnstone Strait? Either way, his arrival in Haro Strait two days before his pod-mates is interesting – was he scouting for salmon?

These photos were taken under MMPA permit #532-1822