Finding humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch” by East Pt

June 22, 2019 – We Left Friday Harbor with a whale report of Biggs/Transient Orcas at Point Grey, Vancouver. That’s 50 miles North – but we did note they were 32 miles from East Point which is within our range. So we sailed North wing on wing with a strong tail wind. We cut around Yellow Island where an eagle watched the ebbing tide and up through Spring Pass. Into the shelter of the Northern cove of Jones Island to reef the main before sailing on to Flattop Island. Flattop was surrounded with strong current and circling winds as we drifted the North side with a few glimpses and calls of eagles.

Hearing the Orcas were heading for Point Roberts we moved to plan B and caught the end of the ebb and a beam reach to New Channel. The ebb carried us from Ripple Island harbor seal haul outs through the Cactus Island kelp forests and along the Spieden forested shoreline. As we approached the view out into Haro Strait we heard the Orcas were now 11 miles from Eastpoint and heading that way. So we moved to plan C and cut through Johns Pass for a spectacular sail to Java Rocks.

Passing close to the honey combed sandstone caves of Monarch Head Barbara spotted a Peregrine Falcon watching from a high ledge. We had a close hauled sail on to East Point where a humpback popped up to our surprise which we identified as MMX0167 aka “Stitch”.

The Orcas were now 1 1/2 miles North headed straight for us. So we waited along side the humpback as they approached Boiling Reef. Current and wind were increasing and we watched and waited but to our surprise they changed course to head North inside Tumbo Island. The one thing thats predictable about Transient Orcas is that they’re unpredictable. They’d covered 35 miles at 7 knots towards us and we missed them by one surfacing. We braced for a beat into wind and current back across Boundary Pass with spray flying over the bow.

Sunshine hit Skipjack Island as we passed Bare Rock into the lee of Waldron before crossing to Lovers Cove and the beautiful shoreline of Orcas Island down Presidents Channel. A bald eagle ducked below a branch to watch us pass and we caught the smallest glimpse of a chick peering out of their nest. Winds were still gusty but decreasing as we served dinner and slowed our pace as winds decreased sailing across San Juan Channel. A challenging day where we bowed to nature but enjoyed every minute of it.