There was a super-pod on the westside of San Juan Island yesterday! Excitedly, a new baby (K-42) was seen travelling with K-14. The Center for Whale Research posted the following report:

Having not been seen since January 27, 2008 off Monterey, California, and Sekiu, Washington, February 29, 2008, members of Kpod and Lpod returned to the San Juan Islands June 3, 2008. The whales were first reported off the south end of San Juan Island at around 8 a.m., then slowly travelled north up the coast of the island in tight social groups. Center for Whale Research staff encountered the whales off Bellevue Point as they swam in three large, tight and tactile groups very close to the shoreline. Staff confirmed that members of Kpod and Lpod were among the playful social groups, though it has not been determined yet if all the whales from the Southern Resident population were present. During the encounter a small calf was observed swimming in close proximity to sisters K14 and K16, both reproductive age females. Later in the encounter staff determined that the calf was indeed a new calf in K-pod, and observed the calf primarily travelling very near K14 and her older offspring K26 and K36.

Click here to see the photos and video on the Center's website.