Orca family returns to Penn Cove after 50 years
After more than 50 years of avoiding Penn Cove, the southern resident orcas finally returned to the site of the tragic whale roundup.
Earlier this month, crowds of emotional whale chasers and lucky passersby witnessed members of L pod swimming at full speed, jumping and slapping their tails in the waters off Central Whidbey. While the mammal-eating transient orcas have been seen splashing in the area before, the southern residents’ visit evoked widespread excitement.
Cindi Rausch, who has been following orcas around the island for the past three years, took some photos of the historic moment, comparing the whales’ strength and agility to a dancer’s.
“It is a mystery why they chose to return now, but I certainly was grateful and humbled to witness it,” she wrote in a message.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/orca-family-returns-to-penn-cove-after-50-years/