April 19, 2023 – After hearing an early morning report of a couple of orca outside of Friday Harbor we guzzled our coffee and out the door we went. While scanning near Pt Caution Barbara spotted the large fin of a male orca by Shirt Tail Reef accompanied by a smaller juvenile. The pair zig zagged around Yellow Island and towards Spring Pass. We were able to identify the orcas as T49A1 (a 22 yr old male) with T65A5 (a 9 yr old male).
The orcas turned up Presidents Channel hugging the coastline of Orcas Island. We had a beautiful sail paralleling the orcas enjoying the sounds of their exhales when they surfaced. Just shy of Pt Doughty we came about and made tracks for Friday Harbor.
Big male orca T49A1
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A5 with T49A1 headed for Spring Passage
T49A1
T65A5 sporting a new nick
T65A5 with T49A1
Surf scoters
Looking west towards New Channel and Stuart Island
Spieden Island
T65A5 heading towards President Channel with Turtleback Mtn
T49A1 passing by some common loons
T49A1 and T65A5 traveling along the Orcas Island coastline
Head of Turtleback Mountain
T49A1 and T65A5 traveling along the Orcas Island coastline
T49A1 and T65A5 traveling along the Orcas Island coastline
T49A1 with stunning backdrop
T65A5 along Orcas Island
T49A1 along Orcas Island
Bald eagle nest on Orcas Island
Common loons
Bald eagle
Little McConnell Island
Route map 4/19/23