All Aboard Sailing

Biggs/Transient Orcas T65A’s hunting in Spieden Channel

By allaboardsailing@yahoo.com May 8, 2023 Half Day Sail, Sailing with Transient Orcas, Sailing with whales
May 8, 2023 – We met up with the Transient orcas T65A’s (minus T65A5) again for the 6th time in the last 7 days. Today they were on their way out of Wasp Passage after visiting West Sound near Orcas Island. When they reached Spieden Channel they picked up the pace as if in chase mode, and began to hunt sea lions along the Spieden Island shoreline. One big guy climbed out of the water to safety, but for whatever reason he went back into the water.
After some charging and lots of splashing, the large group of sea lions stuck tight to shore moving the opposite direction, and the orcas moved on towards the other side of the channel where they found more sea lions. Another hunt began, but this, too, ended unsuccessfully for the orcas. A group of about 6+ sea lions made their way close to shore and watched as the orcas headed away from them. As the orcas passed Battleship Island we changed course to check out some other wildlife.
Later on we heard that they successfully grabbed a couple harbor porpoises in just a few minutes.

Bald eagle

T65A3

View looking northwest from Wasp Passage

T65A’s rounding Cliff Island

View looking north to Flattop Island from Yellow Island

Low Island

Rhinoceros auklet

Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s on their way to the sea lions

Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s hunting sea lions near Spieden Island

Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s hunting sea lions near Spieden Island

Brothers T65A3 and T65A2

Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s crossing Spieden Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s hunting sea lions in Spieden Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s hunting sea lions in Spieden Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s hunting sea lions in Spieden Channel

T65A’s grouped up and moving on after unsuccessful sea lion hunt

Sea lions watch as the T65A’s orcas move on after an unsuccessful hunt

Sea lions watch as the T65A’s orcas move on after an unsuccessful hunt

Our daughter, Skye, now 2 1/2 helps to take down the whale flag

Our daughter, Skye

Black oystercatchers on Spieden Island

Steller sea lions on Spieden Island

Branded Steller sea lion “526Y” on Spieden Island

Sea lion with possible injury from the T65A’s

Sea star on the shoreline near the sea lions

Steller sea lion scratching an itch with long claws on flippers

Canada Geese with goslings on Spieden Island

Canada Geese with goslings on Spieden Island

Harbor seals hauled out

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