Biggs/Transient Orcas T65B's in Boundary Pass

July 16, 2023 – After hearing a report about a family of Biggs/Transient orcas known as the T36A’s coming down Navy Channel we headed north after casting off. We moved quickly, but relaxed for a bit by the Wasp Islands to check out the harbor seals. At White Rock National Wildlife Refuge a bald eagle stood high on the rock while about 100 harbor seals hauled out in the sunshine.

As we were approaching Java Rocks and the T36A’s another family of orca popped up out of nowhere in front of us heading south. We changed course to head south, too. It was the T65B’s who at first were bombing it south with long dives. Then after some slow zig zagging they pointed west into the flood current and began tread milling in place only to be pushed back slightly by the current. The orcas looked so stunning surfacing in the rolling, vibrant, turquoise waves.

When it was time to move on we headed over to two more National Wildlife Refuges: Skipjack and Bare Islands. There were many harbor seals relaxing on the shoreline while others lay in the bull kelp forest. We hugged the gorgeous Waldron coastline before crossing to Orcas Island to hug that coastline, too, down to Spring Pass. We weaved our way through the Wasp Islands before crossing the channel back to Friday Harbor.