All Aboard Sailing

Sailing with Biggs Orcas T60’s and a Humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch”

By allaboardsailing@yahoo.com October 1, 2020 Full Day Sail, Sailing with Humpback Whales, Sailing with Transient Orcas, Sailing with whales
October 1, 2020 – Headed North on the flood tide and as we cleared Limestone Point we received a report of orcas heading North on the West side of the island. We took Spieden Channel and the oak trees of Spieden were showing their fall colors. Mouflon rams, fallow bucks, fallow deer and Sika deer were grazing under the fall foliage. Clearing Sentinel Rock we headed to Battleship and met the T60 matriline of Biggs Orcas.
T60D and T60E were a mile ahead of the others and we watched as they cleared Battleship and we drifted as the others T60, T60C, T60F, T60G and T2B approached. The two groups maintained distance through their traveling and hunting wandering their way to Turn Point and beyond. They played in the kelp at Center Reef with some opportunistic hunting as they travelled close to the Stuart Island coastline and at Turn Point Lighthouse.
We left them as they began to cross Boundary Pass and continued our sail to come through Johns Pass into New Channel. Following the Spieden Northern shoreline we noticed a seal with a fish and a bald eagle with a fish. We also met a Steller sea lion in the channel. Passing through the Cactus Islands and heading to Green Point our passengers spotted a humpback whale approaching Flattop Island. We watched as the humpback MMX0167 aka‘Stitch’ traveled North to White Rock and then South to Spieden Channel whereupon we headed home in the sunset.

Fallow buck and Sika buck

Fall colors on Spieden Island

Mouflon ram with sheep

Mouflon sheep with fall colors on Spieden Island

Fall colors on Gary Oak trees

Harbor seal resting on Sentinel Island

T60D swimming fast along Henry passing harbor seals

Brothers T60D and T60E

Bald eagle on Battleship Island

T60C

T60C exhale

T60’s with backlit blows

T60 with youngest family member T60G

T60 with youngest family member T60G

T2B

T60 with T60G – Spieden Island in the background

T60 with son T60C with Spieden Island in the background

T60C playing in the bull kelp

Orca spy hop

T60’s playing in the bull kelp

T60C playing in the bull kelp

T60’s playing in the bull kelp

T60’s playing in the bull kelp

Orca throwing kelp with tail

T60’s traveling along Stuart Island

T60C traveling along Stuart Island

T60’s traveling along Stuart Island

T60C traveling along Stuart Island

T60’s traveling along Stuart Island

T60C traveling along Stuart Island

T60C traveling along Stuart Island

T60’s traveling along Stuart Island

Orca spy hop

T60’s heading for Lovers Leap

T60’s heading for Lovers Leap and Turn Pt Lighthouse

T60 with T60G swimming in the tide rip

T60C hunting near Lovers Leap

Orca tail slap

T60’s passing Turn Pt Lighthouse

T60C in glassy seas with forest reflections

Orca exhale

T60C on the north side of Stuart Island with a gorgeous forest

Orca exhale with reflections

T60’s traveling along the north side of Stuart Island

T60’s with mossy cliffside backdrop

Cutting through Johns Pass

Bull kelp forest

Spieden Island reflections

Harbor seal with huge fish

Bald eagle with fish

Bald eagle with fish

Bald eagle in Madrone tree

Harbor seal swimming close to shore along Spieden Island

Steller sea lion in New Channel

Bald eagle on tree perched above Elephant Rock

Bald eagle on Spieden Island

Cactus Island reflections

Harbor seal resting on a rock

Harbor seal with Spieden forest

Humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch”

Humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch”

Humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch” tail flukes

Humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch” arching back before deep dive

Humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch” tail flukes

Humpback whale MMX0167 “Stitch” with Tip Top Hill

Bald eagle on Gull Rock

Sunset colors over Spieden Island

Neon pink sun over Friday Harbor

Hot pink sky over Friday Harbor with pink reflections

Route Map 10-1-20

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