All Aboard Sailing

Half day afternoon sail North with the T18/19s Transient or Biggs Orcas

July 30, 2018 – Half day afternoon sail North on the flood tacking at Shirt Tail reef where we passed Harbor Seals with pups resting and warming on Low Island. On hearing of the T18s/19s Biggs Orcas we motor sailed quickly to Limestone Point and stayed close to shore on the back eddies to arrive at Battleship Island where the whales were hunting. While drifting outside of Roche Harbor the whales suddenly surfaced between us and the shore moving on to the kelp forest near Barren Rock.Black Oyster Catchers flew in to join others on Barren Rock created a ruckus with their greeting ceremony.T19C was on his own milling at Roche Harbor entrance while the other 3 played with the kelp in the kelp bed. The 2 females had kelp draped over their back and T19B was lifting kelp with his tail fluke. After many powerful tail slaps and 2 cartwheels by T19B, T19C rejoined and they continued across Spieden Channel to Green Point. They made a short distance into New Channel before continuing to Flattop Island. Their was a split as T19B and a female circled Gull Rock while 19C and a female circled Flattop Island. They all joined at Flattop Island before passing us on the East side of Flattop Island heading up to White Rock. We turned to head South though Spring Pass and Pole Pass to arrive at Orcas Island ferry terminal. Some light haze in the air today from forest fires in California, BC and perhaps Siberia made for a diffused smoky sunset

Route map afternoon sail 7/30/18

Route map afternoon sail 7/30/18

T19C

T19C

T19BT19C Galliano or Mr. Floppy Fin at the totem Pole at Roche Harbor Entrance

T19BT19C Galliano or Mr. Floppy Fin at the totem Pole at Roche Harbor Entrance

T19C

T19C

T19C

T19C

T19s at Roche Harbor entrance

T19s at Roche Harbor entrance

Kelping

Kelping

Whale watching Sailing

Whale watching Sailing

Headstand

Headstand

T19B Kelping

T19B Kelping

Black Oyster Catchers join the commotion at Barren Rock

Black Oyster Catchers join the commotion at Barren Rock

T18/19s Barren Rock

T18/19s Barren Rock

T19 pass Roche Harbor

T19 pass Roche Harbor

T19C doing his own thing at Roche Harbor

T19C doing his own thing at Roche Harbor

T18 dragging kelp

T18 dragging kelp

T19 dragging kelp

T19 dragging kelp

T19B tail lobbing with T18

T19B tail lobbing with T18

T19B tail lobbing

T19B tail lobbing

T19B tail lobbing

T19B tail lobbing

2 whales synchronized tail lobbing calling to T19C

2 whales synchronized tail lobbing calling to T19C

T19B cartwheel

T19B cartwheel

T19B Tail lobbing

T19B Tail lobbing

T19C backlit blows

T19C backlit blows

Backlit Blows

Backlit Blows

New skipper at the helm

New skipper at the helm

T19B

T19B

T19C

T19C

T19C

T19C

T19B

T19B

Pigeon Guillemots Flattop Island

Pigeon Guillemots Flattop Island

Harbor Seal Flattop Island

Harbor Seal Flattop Island

Flattop Island

Flattop Island

Flattop Island

Flattop Island

Vessel involved in watching Whales

Vessel involved in watching Whales

Sunset over the San Juan Islands

Sunset over the San Juan Islands

Sunset over the San Juan Islands

Sunset over the San Juan Islands