Named after a local resident pod of Orcas, J pod is the Spirit Orcas long distance swim group. Swim distances range from 10 to 15 kilometre solo swims and 30+ kilometre relay swims.
J pod is currently traning to relay cross the Strait of Georgia and hopes to one day relay cross the English Channel. Their training schedule consists of 4-5 swims per week including pool, lake and ocean.
Current members include:
A bit about local resident orcas – J pod
As of November 2018, J pod consisted of 23 orca whales. They swim around the San Juan Islands, lower Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia and the Southern Canadian Gulf Islands. The are the most likely to be in the waters year-round. J pod spends more time than the other pods in the inner Salish Sea, traveling as far north as Texada Island on BC’s Sunshine Coast. Each fall and winter they return a few times each month to central Puget Sound near Seattle, following winter salmon runs.
Current known members include: J16 Slick, J17 Princess Angeline, J19 Shachi, J22 Oreo, J26 Mike, J27 Blackberry, J31 Tsuchi, J35 Tahlequah, J36 Alki, J37 Hy’Shqa, J38 Cookie, J39 Mako, J40 Suttles, J41 Eclipse, J42 Echo, J44 Moby, J45 Se-Yi’Chn, J46 Star, J47 Notch, J49 T’ilem I’nges, J50 Scarlet, J51 Nova, J53 Kiki.
You can learn more about the Salish Sea’s J pod here.