Orcas T77C and T77D and a sail to New Channel

July 1, 2021 – Exciting day as we were getting ready for our sail. Two Biggs/Transient orcas, T77C and T77D, had come east in Spieden Channel roughly 7am and down San Juan Channel nearing Pt Caution 8:15am and by 8:40am they were near the Ferry Terminal in Friday Harbor. After they exited the harbor they did some hunting by Turn Island and made their way up Upright Channel. Another report of many orca spread out southbound in Rosario Strait turned out to be Southern Resident orcas from K Pod. First time seeing Residents in the island waters since March (and those were J pod). There had been a (probable) sighting of K Pod in Johnstone Strait, BC, just two days prior, so they made fast progress as they came down the east side of Vancouver Island. As much as we wanted to see K Pod, we decided it would be best to spend some time with the Transient orcas instead.

When we got news that the transient orcas turned into Harney Channel around Shaw Island we changed course to meet them on the top side instead of following behind. We took our time having a nice wing on wing sail along the Shaw coastline spotting a bald eagle chick poking above the top of its nest. The orcas went up into West Sound and we met them as they were exiting the Sound. We cut through Pole Pass and met the orcas on the other side of Crane Island. As we came through Pole Pass we looked up to see an Alaskan Airline plane being chased by a Navy fighter jet. We’re not sure what that was about!

The orcas went north in Spring Passage and stopped briefly to do some hunting before traveling up towards Pt Disney. We broke off to check out some of our favorite places, Flattop Island and New Channel. Harbor seals were sprawled out warming up in the sunshine and some had new pups beside them. The bull kelp forest looked beautiful as we sailed near the Cactus Islands where two deer watched us sail by. Mouflon sheep and Sika deer also grazed on Spieden Island and bald eagles watched as we made our way down the channel. Crossed the channel back to Jones Island and down the west side where our passengers reminisced about watching the sunset 8 years prior on their kayaking trip. Meanwhile newlyweds on our boat were making new memories as husband and wife.