Sail around Lopez meeting the T65As Biggs Orcas

August 13, 2018 – We left from Friday Harbor with news of T665As Transient Orcas heading South in Rosario. With news that they were traveling fast we changed from an initial inter-island course to a South bound course around Lopez. We passed inside of Dead Mans island and on to Whale Rocks, Mummy Rocks, Long Island and Hall Island out to Iceberg Point. We saw a Harbor Seal with a Salmon, Stellers Sea Lions, a Purple Starfish, Bald Eagles, growing Glaucous winged Gull chicks, Harlequin ducks – a very busy area for wildlife in the islands South of Lopez. Passing Iceberg Point we hugged the Lopez shoreline passed Swirl Island, visiting McArdle Bay and drifting the strong currents inside of Castle Island. Salmon were jumping in Rosario and we crossed to meet the Transient Orcas, T65As matriline, resting traveling towards Lawson Reef near Deception Pass. We could see the bridge behind them. Leaving the Orcas we continued to the North to circumnavigate Lopez. We rode fast flood current up to Bird Rocks where there were many nesting Cormorants and we found 2 Stellers Sea Lions. Passed by the shore of Blakely Island and on to Upright Head where we saw a Peregrine Falcon. At sunset the sun was a large orange ball in the smoky haze of the nations forest fires.