April 25, 2023 – David’s birthday! There was an early morning report of orcas northbound passing Friday Harbor which were later found near Deer Harbor and identified as the T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2). We watched the orcas as they traveled north in Spring Pass towards the east tip of Flattop Island. They stopped for a bit appearing to just rest and log at the surface before continuing slowly in a line towards Blunden Island with occasional logging at the surface.
Breaking away we drifted around Flattop Island to see the eagle’s nest, harbor seals, beautiful geology and also spotted a river otter. Our sail took us around Turn Pt Lighthouse on Stuart Island where we found more bald eagles including one sitting above its nest, a couple Steller sea lions near the lighthouse, herds of sheep and what looked like Mouflon sheep that maybe swam over (?) from Spieden Island. It was our first time seeing them on Stuart Island. A great blue heron caught lunch that looked like an eel and we also found another river otter, more harbor seals, harlequin ducks, black oystercatchers and several bald eagles.
While drifting through New Channel we enjoyed a birthday celebration for David with a delicious homemade carrot cake. Cutting through the Cactus Islands we spotted about 6 more bald eagles, harbor seals hauled out, and more eagles’ nests before checking out the Steller sea lions near Green Pt. There had been a California sea lion reported earlier, but we didn’t see him. We did, however, see a sea lion branded ‘929R’ and found a small juvenile nestled in amongst the big guys.
Route map 4/25/23
Sailing charter from Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s traveling along Orcas Island
Folks on Jones Island watching orcas swim by – plus harbor seals hauled out
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2)
Newest family member T49A6 – look at that underbite!
T49A6 surfacing next to mom, T49A
T49A6 surfacing next to mom, T49A – some rake marks showing on calf
T49A6 surfacing next to mom, T49A
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2)
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2)
Bald eagle nest on Flattop Island
Harbor seals on Flattop Island
River otter swimming near Flattop Island
Flattop Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s in Boundary Pass
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s in Boundary Pass
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s in Boundary Pass
Sailing to Turn Pt
Harbor seals near Stuart Island
Bald eagle nest on Stuart Island
Harbor seals near Stuart Island
Mt Baker
Totem pole on Stuart Island
Bald eagle sitting above nest on Stuart Island
Turn Pt Lighthouse, Stuart Island
Steller sea lion near the lighthouse
Turn Pt Lighthouse and Lovers Leap, Stuart Island
Olympic Mountain Range
Sheep on Spieden Island
Harbor seals on Stuart Island
River otter swimming near Stuart Island
Junenile bald eagle flying overhead
Stuart Island coastline
Bald eagle
Great blue heron with an eel (?)
Great blue heron with an eel (?)
Harlequin ducks
Canada geese with sandstone geology on Stuart Island
Mouflon ram (?) on Stuart Island
Mouflon sheep (?) on Stuart Island
Black oystercatcher
Drifting in New Channel north of Spieden Island
Drifting in New Channel north of Spieden Island
Capt David and Skye lighting sparklers
Capt David cutting the birthday cake
Bald eagle
Three bald eagles
Pair of bald eagles
Bald eagle nest on Cactus Island
Sailing in New Channel north of Spieden Island
Drifting in New Channel north of Spieden Island
Harbor seals on the Cactus Islands
Steller sea lions at Green Pt, Spieden Island
Steller sea lions at Green Pt, Spieden Island
Small Steller sea lions nestled next to the other big guys
Steller sea lions at Green Pt, Spieden Island
Branded Steller sea lion ‘929R’ on Spieden Island
Close hauled sail down San Juan Channel
Harbor seals poking up near Shirt Tail Reef
Mt Baker
Bald eagle outside Friday Harbor