Strong winds and an orca encounter with the T37’s

July 15, 2021 – Strong winds and incredible sailing. Today’s the first time we’ve ever went to the 3rd reef point on the main sail. Winds were close to 35 knots near Waldron. Wing on wing up San Juan Channel changing to a beam reach all the way up to Presidents Channel. A beam reach plus an ebb over to Flattop Island to shelter for the wind for awhile. There were many harbor seals hauled out with young pups in the lee of the island. Over and down through Ripple Island and the Cactus Islands into New Channel where we found several bald eagles and two Peregrine falcons chasing a bird into the shrubbery on the cliff face. We poked into Haro Strait but turned around when the wind picked up. Caught the wind up through Johns Pass into Boundary Pass and sailed across to Sandy Pt and into Cowlitz Bay to change to 3rd reef. Came to Pt Disney with very strong winds and sailed to Jones Island cutting through the Wasp Islands and down San Juan Channel. Earlier in the day we’d been following reports of several families of orcas milling south of San Juan Island in four footers and strong winds. Turns out they made their way up through Cattle Pass. Some took Upright Channel and the T37’s continued up San Juan Channel. We spotted the orcas across from Friday Harbor on the Shaw coastline and got some pretty views before returning to Friday Harbor.