September 6, 2021 – It was an exciting sail today getting a chance to see one of our favorite Biggs/Transient orca families, the T18’s. We met the whales as they were exiting West Sound, Orcas Island. They meandered through the Wasp Islands and went into slow resting travel as they worked their way north. As they approached White Rock National Wildlife Refuge they woke up for a few bites to eat. The harbor seals fearfully watched as the orcas circled the island over and over. Several of the orcas played with the kelp as they went. After the hunt the huge male orca, T19B, breached twice (epic!). From here we broke off to explore New Channel and Flattop Island before sailing down San Juan Channel. As we were almost back to port we spotted a minke whale by Reid Rock outside of Friday Harbor. Bonus!
WA State Ferry in Friday Harbor
T19C with T18
T19C
T19C with T19B
T19
T18
T19C
T19B
T18 and T19
T19C with Pt Disney
Fried egg jellyfish
Fried egg jellyfish
Harbor seals on White Rock aware that the orcas are there
T19B circling White Rock
T19B circling White Rock with eel grass or kelp on his fin
T19C T19B circling White Rock close to shore
T18’s circling White Rock hunting
Harbor seals watching the orcas circling the rocks
Orca tail slap with seal watching
T19B breach with T19C tail slap
T19B breach with T19C tail slap
T19B breach with T19C tail slap
T19B breach with T19C tail slap
Orca tail slap
Orca draped in kelp
Orca ‘kelping’
Black oystercatchers
Harbor seals on the rocks
Great blue heron standing on a bull kelp bed
Bald eagle in flight
Pair of bald eagles on the Cactus Islands
Flattop Island
Bald eagle on Flattop
Bald eagle nest on Flattop
Harbor seals on Flattop
Capt Barbara with almost 10 month old daughter, Skye
Capt David with almost 10 month old daughter, Skye
Minke whale outside Friday Harbor
WA State Ferries
Mt Baker
Minke whale outside Friday Harbor
Orca seaplane
Minke whale outside Friday Harbor
Route map 9-6-21