July 22, 2023 – We had been following reports throughout the day of several families of Biggs/Transients orcas who had come south from the Strait of Georgia and were now milling/hunting by Skipjack Island. The groups included the T34’s, T37’s and T65B’s. We hurried quickly so that we could see them on our half day evening sunset sail. When we arrived the orcas were very social and playful with many spy hops and some breaches. We could see gulls flying down for scraps from their leftovers. After the orcas finished with their meal it appeared they were ready to move on their separate ways. The T65B’s split to the south around Waldron Island and the others headed north towards Patos. As we came down President Channel we left the orcas on the Waldron side to come hug the Orcas Island north shore. The steep forested coastline was illuminated in beautiful evening light with bald eagles dotting the coastline and great blue herons scattered around. The T65B’s ended up crossing the channel to where we were giving us one last view before they looped back up the channel on the Orcas Island side. We made our way down San Juan Channel and watched the wispy clouds changing colors in the sunset.
Harbor seals hauled out by Jones Island
Bald eagle on Waldron Island
Harbor seal on Waldron Island
Bald eagle on Waldron Island
Orca spy hop
Male orca breach
Male orca breach
Orca spy hop
Orca cartwheel near Skipjack Island
Orcas T34’s, T37’s and T65B’s milling near Skipjack Island
Orca T65B1
Orca calf face
Orca with huge, noisy container ship in Boundary Pass
Orca T65B
Sailing whale watching
Young orca calf
Orca T37B2
Orca T37B2 and another
Sailing whale watching
Mt Baker
T65B with young calf T65B3
Orca T65B1
Orca T65B2 with mom surfacing
T65B with young calf T65B3
Sailing whale watching
Wispy clouds and an orca by Waldron
T65B with young calf T65B3
T65B with young calf T65B3
T65B1 with exhale traveling by Waldron Island
Orcas T65B’s with backlit blows along Waldron Island
Orcas Island coastline in evening light
Bald eagle nest on Orcas Island
Orcas Island coastline in evening light
Great blue heron flying by
Bald eagle on Orcas Island
Sun dog
Orcas T65B’s crossing President Channel to Orcas Island
Orcas T65B’s crossing President Channel to Orcas Island
Orcas T65B with young calf T65B3
Turtleback Mountain, Orcas Island
Orcas Island coastline in evening light
Our shadow with historic Lime Kiln on Orcas Island
Bald eagle on Orcas Island
Bald eagle on Orcas Island
Sunset sail back to Friday Harbor
Sunset sail back to Friday Harbor
Sunset sail back to Friday Harbor
Sunset sail back to Friday Harbor
Seal on the rocks in the sunset
Just passed the new moon
Bald eagle on Shirt Tail Reef Channel Marker
Bald eagle on Shirt Tail Reef Channel Marker in the sunset
Bald eagle on Shirt Tail Reef Channel Marker in the sunset
Sunset over Yellow Island
Fun sailing adventure from Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
Sunset colors as we arrived back to Friday Harbor
Route map 7/22/23 pm