All Aboard Sailing

Biggs/Transient Orcas T99’s near Moresby Island

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