May 15, 2023 – Gorgeous day in the San Juan Islands with temperatures reaching a whopping 84 degrees! Today we visited some of our favorite places including a sail along the Orcas coastline, Flattop Island, New Channel, and Stuart Island. There were bald eagles scattered all over in the tree tops and harbor seals were busy resting on the rocks.
We met up with a family of Biggs/Transient orcas known as the T99’s as they were southbound in Swanson Channel. The group had been hunting all day as they made their way south from the bottom of Trincomali Channel. Just after we got on scene they finished hunting and one photo shows T99C carrying a piece of meat in his mouth. As the group got closer to Moresby Island they began hunting again. After a successful (probable seal) predation there was an orca cartwheel, many tail slaps and some backwards swimming (moonwalk). Again, another photo shows T99C carrying meat in his mouth.
As the group turned west near the bottom of the island we made tracks back to Friday Harbor taking the South side of Spieden Island. A group of Steller sea lions were engaged in eating something large that they were throwing around. It looks like possibly a skate in the pictures. A very fun day!
Bald eagle outside Friday Harbor
Sailing by Flattop Island
Harbor seals on the rocks by Cactus Island
Wildflowers on the rocks by Cactus Island
Bald eagle on Cactus Island
Bald eagle nest on Cactus Island
North coast of Spieden Island
What we call “Elephant Rock”
Bald eagle on Spieden Island
Sailing along the coast of Spieden Island
Coastline of Stuart Island
Coastline of Stuart Island
Lovers Leap and Turn Pt Lighthouse, Stuart Island
Turn Pt Lighthouse, Stuart Island, with Mt Baker
Biggs/Transient orcas T99’s coming south in Swanson Channel
T99D
T99 with T99B about to surface
T99 with youngest offspring T99E
T99C with T99B
T99’s heading towards Moresby Island
T99’s hunting near Moresby Island
T99 with youngest offspring T99E hunting
Backwards swimming (moon walk) after probable seal predation
T99C tail slap after successful predation
T99’s tail slapping after successful predation
T99’s tail slapping after successful predation
T99’s on their way taking their meal to go
T99’s traveling along Moresby Island
T99
T99B with exhale
T99C surfaces with piece of meat in his mouth
T99B and T99D with Moresby Island behind them
T99’s rounding the bottom of Moresby – maybe hunting again in kelp
Orca T99B exhale
T99C tail slap
Mouflon sheep with lamb on Spieden Island
Bald eagle on Spieden Island
South side of Spieden Island
Steller sea lion throwing around his food
Steller sea lion swimming near Spieden Island
Steller sea lion with what looks like scar on back
Steller sea lions in water and bald eagles on the hillside
Bald eagles on the hillside of Spieden Island
Our passengers enjoying their private sail
Route map 5/15/23