September 19, 2022 – After hearing about some humpbacks outside of Friday Harbor early this morning heading south we scooted our sail an hour earlier to hopefully find them. It was a beautiful day with stunning views of Mt Baker and the Olympic Mountains. We sailed through the narrow pass by Turn Island State Park and kept scanning for blows. Capt David spotted the blows way to the south at the bottom of Griffin Bay near Harbor Rock. We kicked up the pace and quickly motor sailed. As we got close to Cattle Pass Capt David spotted the two humpbacks on our left fighting the flood current in the middle of the pass. We cut the engines and stuck to the side of the channel sailing in place whilst listening to the powerful exhales as the humpbacks surfaced side by side. Comparing our photos of the humpbacks tails and dorsal fins in the catalogue we had on board we were able to identify the humpbacks as BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ and BCX0519 ’Stitch’. We stayed with the humpbacks to Salmon Bank and then spun around to go see some other wildlife. We came around Long Island and were heading towards Whale Rocks to see the sea lions when Capt David spotted a big splash by Deadman Island. He found orcas engaged in hunting a sea lion very close to shore. With the binos I saw a very tiny calf in the mix and quickly identified T37 in the group with her massive triangular fin. As we got closer we confirmed it was the T34’s and T37’s and the newborn calf was alongside T37B. We believe the calf’s designation will be T37B3. This calf had just been spotted by another Captain/Researcher a week ago. The group including new calf was tight together as they surrounded a large Steller sea lion. After they all disappeared below the surface for quite a few minutes we saw a sea lion pop up in a nearby kelp bed. We thought he got away as the orcas were surfacing in the distance this way and that way. However, eventually lots and lots of gulls showed up diving down for scraps and it was evident they were successful in their hunt. There was a moment of consecutive breaching by the orcas which often happens after they are successful in their hunt. The orcas were busy eating for a long time and we watched as they filled their bellies, and we all smiled as we watched the newborn calf popping up all over. It was another epic adventure!
Mt Baker seen from Friday Harbor
Humpback whales BCX0519 ’Stitch’ and BCY0458 ‘Raptor’
Humpback whales BCX0519 ’Stitch’ and BCY0458 ‘Raptor’
Humpback whales BCX0519 ’Stitch’ and BCY0458 ‘Raptor’
Humpback whales BCX0519 ’Stitch’ and BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX0519 ’Stitch’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ dorsal fin
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX0519 ’Stitch’ dorsal fin
Humpback whales BCX0519 ’Stitch’ and BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ passing Deadman Island
Empty cormorant nests on Goose Island
Cattle Pt Lighthouse, San Juan Island
Humpback whale BCX0519 ’Stitch’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX0519 ’Stitch’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX0519 ’Stitch’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ tail flukes
Humpback whales BCX0519 ’Stitch’ and BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ pass Cattle Pt Lighthouse
Humpback whale BCX0519 ’Stitch’
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’
Humpback whale BCX0519 ’Stitch’ tail flukes with Olympic Mountains
BCX0519 ’Stitch’ tail flukes with Olympic Mountains
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ tail flukes with Olympic Mountains
Humpback whale BCY0458 ‘Raptor’ tail flukes with Olympic Mountains
Snow covered Mt Baker
Surf Scoters
T34’s and T37’s hunting a Steller sea lion near Deadman Island
T37 hunting a Steller sea lion near Deadman Island
T34’s and T37’s hunting a Steller sea lion near Deadman Island
T34’s and T37’s hunting a Steller sea lion near Deadman Island
T37B tail slapping
T37 lunging
T34’s and T37’s surrounding a Steller sea lion
T34’s and T37’s surrounding a Steller sea lion
Another sea lion pops up from a nearby bull kelp bed
T34’s and T37’s hunting a Steller sea lion
Orca cartwheel
Orca cartwheel
And another orca cartwheel
Orca backwards breach
And another back breach
Another breach
And another breach!
T37B with newest calf T37B3
Double orca tail slaps
Little calf T37B3 pops up next to brother T37B1
Little calf T37B3 pops up next to brother T37B1
Orca tail slap
Little calf T37B3
Little calf T37B3 next to mom
Little calf T37B3
Little calf T37B3
Orca on back pec slapping and tail slapping
Orca inverted tail lobbing
T37B tail slapping
T37B tail slapping
Another orca doing inverted tail lobs
Our very happy passengers
Orca tail slap
Weeks old T37B3
Bald eagle flying in for a piece of sea lion meat
T34 with youngest offspring
Orca sail in the air
Orca tail slap
Bald eagle flying in for a piece of sea lion meat
T34’s and T37’s eating their dinner surrounded by gulls
Orca spy hop
T37B with T37B3 and Mt Baker
T34’s and T37’s eating their dinne
Sharing a meal with the gulls
Sharing a meal with the gulls
Orca spy hop
T37B with T37B3
T37B with T37B3
Sharing a meal with the gulls
Orca in the sun streak with Olympic Mountains
T37B with Olympic Mountains
Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks
Bald eagle overlooking Deadman Island
Hawk by Deadman Island
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Bald eagle overlooking Deadman Island
Black oystercatchers foraging by Deadman Island
Sunset sail back to Friday Harbor
View of Olympic Mountains