Sailing with Biggs Orcas T101's at Tumbo Island

May 26, 2019 – Today we met our passengers in Deer Harbor, Orcas Island. We sailed close to shore in Presidents Channel before finding wind for a fast sail to Waldron Island. Hugged the coastline of Waldron all the way around to Bare and Skipjack Islands. Harbor seal Heaven.

We moved north fast as we knew the T101’s had been northbound from Matia and two humpbacks had been eastbound from Blunden Island. We were a little behind them as we approached Boiling Reef. With a brief sighting of humpback “Monarch” we met T101A and brother T101B and sailed together off the shoreline of Tumbo Island. So magnificent to see the two males cruising the shallow shoreline. Their mother T101 and presumable older brother T102 were about a mile offshore.

We left them to circumnavigate Tumbo with its honeycomb sandstone coastline. After passing the steller sea lions on Boiling Reef we cruised along Saturna to Narvez Bay and Monarch Head. A Peregrine falcon was perched up high on the cliff watching us while Billy goats called their gruff. One last stop in Canada at Java Islets before crossing back to Ripple Island. Dinner was served as we drifted out of New Channel towards Flattop Island. A birthday candle was lit atop the cake when winds dropped in Spring Pass.