T37As, T51 and July 4th Fireworks

July 4, 2017 – After the parade we cut the lines to sail away from the heat of the day. Reports indicated Biggs (Transient) Orcas with again many groups spread over a fairly wide area of the Salish Sea and traveling, with some exceptions, in the same direction. It’s interesting to me that the groups of families and friends seem to be within a roughly 12 mile diameter – what I think of as acoustical range yet these whales are seldom\vocal with high amplitude. Our sail coincided with watching the T37A family – a young mum of 4 at 23 years, with T51 Male accompanying 8 year old T37A2. In late afternoon they ventured deep into East Sound Orcas Island all the way into the pockets of onlookers at Ship Bay and Fishing Bay. We left them after a brisk sail out of East Sound only to see them again at sunset outside Fsherman’s Harbor, Lopez. We also saw 2 Peregrine Falcons with prey as well as a Bald Eagle at nest with chick. And just a beautiful sunset sail into the fireworks of Friday Harbor. How do you spell ‘memorable experience’? Each one of Barbara’s photos of today say one thousand times more.