June 16, 2018 – As we headed out of the harbor there happened to be transient orcas southbound in San Juan Channel traveling towards Griffin Bay. It was the T34’s, T37 and T37B’s followed by the T37A’s trailing a few miles behind. We observed a quick bit of hunting near Goose Island before passing Cattle Point Light and moving out in the open waters in the direction of Hein Bank. We did a 180 and headed back inshore getting a quick glimpse of the T37A’s as they zoomed by us as we were enroute to Lopez. Shut down for lunch and dropped anchor in paradise at McArdle Bay watched by bald eagles and harbor seals. While circumnavigating Lopez Island we made a pit stop at Bird Rocks to see the cormorants and other nesting birds and enjoyed all of the harbor porpoise cruising in the fast currents.
T37 passing American Camp
Hunting in the cove next to Goose Island
Orcas close to Goose Island
Orcas close to Goose Island
Passing Goose Island
Passing Cattle Point Lighthouse – Southern tip of San Juan Island
T34’s, T37, T37B’s
T34’s, T37, T37B’s
T34’s, T37, T37B’s
T34’s, T37, T37B’s
T34’s, T37, T37B’s
T34’s, T37, T37B’s
Bait Ball which gets interrupted by the orcas
Transient orcas popping up in a bait ball
T34’s, T37, T37B’s
T37A2 – born 2009
T37A’s
Bald eagle soaring
Harbor seal
Drop anchor for a lunch in McArdle Bay
Bird Rocks – Rosario Strait
Black oyster catcher
Brandt’s and Double-Crested Cormorants
Cormorants and Burrows Island Light in the distance
Many harbor porpoise in the currents of Rosario Strait
Looking across Rosario Strait
WA State Ferry with Mt Baker
Tire swing
Blakely Island
Relaxing at sunset