September 10, 2022 – Nearby wildfires made for interesting lighting and the sun look neon pink in the hazy sky. After leaving Friday Harbor we sailed in the fun currents and whirlpools by Turn Rock and had a great sail up the channel to the Wasp Islands. At Shirt Tail Reef a bald eagle stood on the channel marker and harbor seals rested on the rocks. With an orca sighting up north we decided to pick up the pace to see them. We encountered the family of Biggs/Transient orcas known as the T60’s plus T2B near White Rock National Wildlife Refuge. We sailed with the orcas as they traveled in the direction of New Channel. Seeing the orcas surfacing in the hot pink sun streak was unreal and felt like something out of this world. But, with the sun going down it was soon time for us to make our way back to Friday Harbor.
Swirling currents and whirlpools
Gulls on a bed of bull kelp
Bald eagle in flight
Trees along Shaw Island
Bald eagle on Shirt Tail Reef
Nob Island and Turtleback Mountain
San Juan Island Fire Boat
Bald eagle on Shirt Tail Reef
Harbor seals on Low Island
Coon Island
Little McConnell Island
Sun shining over Flattop Island
Cormorants on White Rock
T60’s and T2B near White Rock
T60’s and T2B near White Rock
T60’s and T2B traveling towards New Channel
T60’s and T2B surface with hot pink sun
T60’s and T2B surface with hot pink sun
T60’s and T2B surface with hot pink sun streak
T60’s and T2B
T60’s and T2B surface with hot pink sun
T60’s and T2B heading towards New Channel/Green Pt
T60’s and T2B heading towards New Channel/Green Pt
Sun going down
Route map 9-10-22-pm