J Pod and USCG

Today we viewed J Pod and USCG in Haro Strait. Then part of J pod in the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the second tour. We spent some time with J Pod arriving from Canada into USA waters and at one point the USCG vessel #29445 entered onto the scene. They observed for a bit then approached the research vessel from SR3. The SR3 vessel was flying its NOAA-Fisheries federal permit flag. NOAA is the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric and Administration.

The research vessel showed them their permit flag at about twenty yards. They seemed to get the message but they then kept pursuing the vessel viewing the whales. I called the USCG vessel on VHF 16, letting them know that the vessel they were trailing had a valid federal permit to be with the Southern Resident Killer Whales. I also let them know that they were now no longer involved in their policing activities and were now whale watching and no longer exempt from the federal 300-yard separation from SRKW’s. They backed off and trailed for a bit but then took off at high speed also violating state and federal laws of the safe speed of 7 knots or less within a half-mile of SRKW’s. Because they were not currently involved in USCG policing activity at that moment they violated federal laws protecting the southern resident killer whales.

Aside from that episode the time with the Rezzies today was pretty remarkable. I at one point caught up with J38 Cookie just as he was crossing over into Canadian waters which at this point due to COVID 19 restrictions we are not able to cross the border. Hoping that will end soon.

As it is, if we are with whales on the USA side we can watch them, but Canadians cannot cross over to see them. On the other hand, if whales are on the Canadian side, we cannot cross over to see them on that side of the border. It is somewhat confusing too.

We saw most of J Pod in the morning but later after leaving the dock an hour late I was nearing the pod in Juan de Fuca but the seas were getting pretty rough. It was a slow go and hard to spot the whales in those conditions but I did find some. Two other vessels ended up coming my way to view them as well. I decided not to continue on when they pointed their way into the heavy seas and turn back looking once again for J27 Blackberry who had been seen just before our arrival.

The whales didn’t seem to mind the weather at all, playing and cartwheeling through the waves. I didn’t get many good shots with the boat being tossed around but there are a few here.