J-Pod just reaching the west side of San Juan Island before dark

Last night the orca-loving community on San Juan Island gathered at Lime Kiln Lighthouse for sunset with a chance of whales. J-Pod made their way back down from the Strait of Georgia, just reaching the west side of San Juan Island before dark.

There's something to be said about the way the Southern Residents bring people together. These impromptu gatherings filled with smiles, laughter, and lifted spirits due the presence of the whales are filled with a feeling I have yet to find anywhere else.

After the first few whales passed, it got too dark to see them, but it was pure magic sitting under a sky of emerging stars and listening to their blows as they went south. Relying on your sense of hearing alone, it's amazing to listen to how different each whale sounds, from the smallest calf to the largest adult male.

J-Pod's visit was a short one. After arriving in inland waters on July 14th, they are already westbound back out the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the morning of July 16th. Every moment spent in their presence is a blessing and a reminder of the truly important things in life: togetherness, joie de vivre, sitting still and waiting for beautiful things to unfold, and stopping every now and again to take a deep breath.