09/15/2026
J Pod — Orca Family of the Salish Sea
Through the inland Salish Sea waters , J Pod travels as a family, following the salmon that have sustained Southern Resident orcas for generations. These beautiful whales are closely connected to the waters of Puget Sound and the surrounding straits.
For those of us who live here, we know, these have whales have their own stories: Granny, the longtime matriarch; Ruffles, remembered for his unmistakable wavy dorsal fin; Ralph, named for a man who helped end the capture of Washington’s wild orcas; and Tahlequah, whose extraordinary journey of grief with her lost calf touched people around the world.
This Orca family represent family, memories, survival, and return—J Pod moving through the same waters, year after year, following the salmon home.
"Every gourd has a story, I just help it speak."
Doug Shafer – Pacific Northwest Gourd Studio
