So many days of waiting, listening, hoping.  Then one day, no, let's say it was about ten days that J Pod was in the inland waters! Yes! Ten days in a row.  There were some days they were seen to the north, traveling among some of the Canadian Gulf islands and some days they were seen off the west side of San Juan Island, all day long.  From the youngest, J-59, with her family to the most senior, Slick (J-16) with her family, all were accounted for. They were surface active, caring for their young, resting, and successfully foraging for salmon.  Their length of presence in the inland waters and their behavior was an indicator that things were well, at least for a while. They went back out to the open ocean on June 2.
Please note: For current orca adopters - more images will be in your Monthly Orca Adoption Update.  Not a current orca adopter?  Check out the Meet the Whales page and Adopt an Orca!

June 25th
Event begins about 7 p.m., ends by dusk
Lime Kiln Point State Park, San Juan Island

Back after a two year hiatus, One of our most popular annual events!  
Orca Sing is an annual summer solstice event, dedicated to the recovery of our endangered Southern Resident Community of orca whales. Come enjoy the music and watch for whales as the sun sets. Back this year is Seattle’s City Cantabile Choir along with Odin Lonning & Orca Annie!  Come Celebrate Washington State Parks and Orca Action Month. Bring your friends & family and a picnic to enjoy the beauty of the park and surrounding marine environment while listening to music. Who knows? Maybe the orcas will surprise us with a pass-by! Tours of the historic lighthouse will be offered before and after the music performances. 
 
Shuttle transportation available through San Juan Transit. ($10 pp, Roundtrip. Pick-up at 6:15 p.m. in front of The Whale Museum. Return trip from Lime Kiln is at 8:30 pm. Sunset bus also available.)  Carpools encouraged as parking is limited.**A Discover Pass is required to park in the State Park lot.
 
Thanks to the partners: Lime Kiln Point State Park, F.O.L.K.S. (Friends of Lime Kiln Society), City Cantabile Choir, Friends of the San Juans, American Cetacean Society—Puget Sound Chapter, Orca Network, The Whale Trail, Wolf Hollow Wildlife  Rehabilitation Center, The Whale Museum

Summer Session Dates:
July 28, 29, 30 (31-day off) and August 1, 2 & 3

Registration is now open for a summer virtual session of TWM’s Marine Naturalist Program. This dynamic and high quality program will include 6 virtual sessions. The objective of this program is to provide a learning experience that assists adult graduates in becoming qualified regionally as professional or volunteer naturalists. Clock hour credits are also available. The main focus of the training is the ecology, current status and conservation of Southern Resident Killer Whales and other local marine species as well as discussions about the environments they live in. The course includes presentations on cetaceans, pinnipeds, otters, intertidal invertebrates, seabirds, and a variety of other topics such as geology and marine conservation.  Faculty includes Whale Museum staff, professional naturalists, marine scientists, and environmental educators active in the region.  
Presentations will be delivered through pre-recorded videos and videoconferencing/webinar software, such as Whova and Zoom.
Tuition is $475 for non-museum members (includes an orca adoption and a Whale Museum membership) and $425 for museum members/orca adopters. A limited number of Diversity and Inclusion scholarships are available. There are no prerequisites other than high school graduation and a sincere interest to learn. While the Summer MNTP is virtual, we hope to be able to offer an additional in-person field trip weekend program on San Juan Island later this year with MNTP participants being given first opportunity to enroll. 
Registration information can be found here. Links, class materials, and agenda will be sent to registrants closer to the start of class sessions. Don’t wait to reserve your spot!
For more information, call (360) 378-4710 ext.30.
Questions can be emailed to Tracie Merrill, Education Curator.