1447, Juneauite

I've known Juneauite since August of 2010. She was first cataloged in 2006, but Jay Beedle notes that she's been around since 2005. He also calls her "Poisson", the French word for fish, but I've never heard anyone use that name.

All black tails can be very difficult to identify. I use three clues that usually show up quickly to identify her: her central notch is a narrow "U" with the right side a bit taller than the left; her tail is very broad; and, there is a pretty prominent point midway out on the right fluke.

These three shots illustrate how the right mid-fluke point can be used as sure identification for Juneauite, even with an angled view. 


The top left photo is from North Pass on July 16, 2012; right from the north end of North Pass on July 19, 2013 and the left with the Allen Marine catamaran St. Peter in Halibut Cove in Favorite Channel on August 6, 2013.

Her right protuberance allows identification from the dorsal side of the flukes as well as this shot from August 26, 2013 shows.

For 2013 she was the first whale of the year that I was able to identify as coming back to Alaska with a new calf. Jay notes that she had a calf in 2007. If she went six years between calves, that seems like a long time. Perhaps the small whale behind her in this photo from August 7, 2011 is her calf? Pure speculation on my part.

Juneauite and her 2013 calf together in the waters of North Pass on a very rainy and foggy September 6, 2013.