September 30, 2022 – After we returned from our earlier sail we got a report of 4 humpback whales that were southbound outside of Friday Harbor. It was hard to pass up an opportunity like that, so we got back on the boat and headed out to find them. It was absolutely magical seeing their huge exhales rising in the air as they surfaced side by side with a backdrop of the Olympic Mountains. We had an epic time. The humpbacks were identified as BCX0854 Europa, BCY0458 Raptor, BCX1702 Uluka, and BCY0267 Wilkinson. We sailed with the whales all the way to Cattle Pass before turning around to sail back to Friday Harbor in the sunset.
Humpback whales southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whale tail of BCY0267 ‘Wilkinson’
Humpback whale tail of BCY0660 ‘Raptor’
Humpback whales southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whales southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whales southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whale exhale
Humpback whales southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whales southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whales southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whale exhale
Humpback whale tail flukes
Three humpbacks surface together with another trailing
Humpback in the sun streak
Three humpbacks side by side
Humpback whale tail of BCY0267 ‘Wilkinson’
Humpback raising head above water while trumpeting
Humpback throwing tail around while frolicking
Humpback raising head above water while frolicking
Three humpbacks side by side
Humpback raising head above water while trumpeting
Humpbacks surfacing side by side
Humpback splash after chin slap
Humpback whale tail of BCY0267 ‘Wilkinson’
Humpback whale tail of BCX0854 ‘Europa’
Humpbacks southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpbacks southbound in San Juan Channel in sunset light
Humpback blow
Humpbacks southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpbacks southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback in sunset light
Humpback whale tail of BCY0660 ‘Raptor’
Humpback whale tail of BCX1702 ‘Uluka’
Humpbacks southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback whales with pink exhales from the sunset
Humpbacks southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpbacks southbound in San Juan Channel
Humpback tail flukes
Humpbacks swimming side by side
Humpback tail flukes
Humpback whale tail of BCX0854 ‘Europa’
Raptor going on a deep dive
Humpback with “rainblow” exhale
Humpbacks surfacing ahead of us
Humpbacks surfacing ahead of us
Humpbacks surfacing ahead of us heading south to Cattle Pass
Humpbacks surfacing ahead of us heading south to Cattle Pass
Sunset as we round Turn Island