A sail to our favorite wildlife areas and a distant view of the T10's across the border

August 11, 2020 -Sailed North from Friday Harbor. Wing on wing downwind close the San Juan forested shoreline passed Point Caution and a fast beam reach to the Wasp Islands between Shaw and Orcas Islands. As we came around Yellow Island we heard that the T10 Biggs Orcas, a mother and adult son, were Northbound from Hein Bank. We continued our sail North passing Little McConnell and through Spring Pass inside Jones Island monitoring the movement of the T10’s to the West side of San Juan and slowly moving North. This sounded good for meeting them at the North end of San Juan Island.

We sailed on to Flattop Island National Wildlife Refuge and enjoyed the views of the harbor seals resting on the fruit cake geological landscape of the North side and listened to the high pitched calls of the pigeon guillemots who nest here. The ebb current carried us nicely with a good sail to Ripple Island where we threaded the bases through the rocks and through the Cactus Islands with wonderfull views of harbor seals and bald eagles. Harbor seals were hauled out in great numbers and bald eagles were vocal as they established rank for foraging on a seal pup carcass. Moufon sheep and rams were grazing on the steep cliffs of Spieden Island as we drifted down New Channel.

We rounded Spieden to Sentinel Rock and the T10’s were still making slow progress up the West side of San Juan so we caught the ebb of Spieden Channel out over Danger Shoal to head South to meet them. Wind increased as we cleared Battleship Rock and we had a fast close hauled sail tacking to come back to Henry Island and reduce sail to second reef point on the main. We then followed the shoreline of Kellet Bluff admiring the twisted geology and eagles nests.

From Andrews Bay we headed out into Haro Strait sailing well in choppy seas with reefed sails. Unfortunately the T10’s crossed the border moments before we arrived. Sailing along the border we had distant glimpses of the orcas as they were multi-directional presumably chasing a harbor seal or porpoise. We sailed back by way of Mosquito Pass and the sunset colors changed from pastels to increasing vivid dramatic color. An adventurous sail today in moderate to strong winds which Peniel handled very well.