May 22, 2023 – Out of the gate we met a humpback whale known as BCZ0414 “Zephyr”. She came down the Shaw Island side of the channel, crossed over towards Fisherman’s Harbor as a group of Biggs/Transient orcas known as the T124A’s with T124A1 came up from the south and crossed towards Turn Island. The humpback was about a mile away from the orcas and breached a couple times. A sea otter was lounging in the kelp at Turn Rock as the orcas went by. We stayed with the orcas who were in a social mood with the youngsters playing with a piece of seaweed as they made their way up the channel passing right by Friday Harbor.
Leaving the orcas we sailed through the Wasp Islands and rejoined later north of Jones Island. The orcas traveled towards Green Pt in the strongest part of the flooding current before heading north. Meanwhile another group of orcas, the T123’s, were at the other end of Spieden Channel near Sentinel Rock hunting a sea lion.
We took New Channel to admire the north side of Spieden Island, and came around the island to find out the sea lion was hiding under a boat while the orcas circled. This continued for a long time. We took the south side of Spieden Island and headed for home. Later on we heard the sea lion escaped and survived to tell the tale.
Route map 5/22/23
Bald eagle
Humpback whale BCZ0414 “Zephyr”
Sea otter at Turn Rock
Sea otter at Turn Rock
Orca calf spy hop
Orca calf backwards breach
T124A4 with T124A1
Juveniles from the T124A’s socializing
Juveniles from the T124A’s socializing
Orca calf half breach
Orca calf playing with piece of seaweed
Orca calf playing with piece of seaweed
Orca calf backwards breach
Canoe nearby for Canoe Festival
Canoe with orcas
Canoe nearby for Canoe Festival
Bald eagle fly by
Bald eagle fly by
Juveniles from the T124A’s socializing
Juveniles from the T124A’s socializing
Playful juveniles from the T124A’s passing Friday Harbor
T124A’s passing Friday Harbor
T124A’s passing Friday Harbor
T124A’s passing Friday Harbor with WA State Ferry in the background
Biggs/Transient orcas T124A’s
Sea plane landing in Friday Harbor
Kids from the T124A’s
Orca calf tail in the air
Playful orca calves
Playful orca calves
Playful orca calves
Sailing along the coastline
T124A’s headed to Green Pt with spectacular lighting
T124A’s headed to Green Pt with spectacular lighting
Sailing with orcas
T124A’s
Steller sea lions on Green Pt, Spieden Island
Canada Geese with goslings
Steller sea lions on Green Pt, Spieden Island
Harbor seal in New Channel
Steller sea lion hiding near whale watching boat from the T123’s orcas
T123, T123C and T123D
T123’s hunting a sea lion that was hiding under whale watching boat
T123A
Orca tail in the air
T123A
T123A
Red-necked phalarope
River otter
River otter
Bald eagle on Spieden Island
Spieden Island
Coastline of San Juan Island
Coastline of San Juan Island
Black tailed deer grazing on San Juan Island
Coastline of San Juan Island
Coastline of San Juan Island