All Aboard Sailing

Biggs/Transient Orcas T137’s pass Friday Harbor and Minke Whales on Salmon Bank

August 4, 2023 – Another gorgeous day in the Salish Sea. After casting off we cut inside Turn Island and headed down the channel, but quickly changed course when a report of Biggs/Transient orcas known as the T137’s showed up inter-island. We met the orcas near Upright Head and watched as they traveled down Upright Channel into San Juan Channel up to Hicks Bay. After some great views we decided to see what other cool wildlife we could see so we came about and continued our adventure moving south on the ebb current.

We passed by Goose Island where many harbor seals hauled out and cormorants and gulls guarded their nests. On Salmon Bank we found a couple minke whales foraging and actively lunging through bait balls. Sea conditions changed further south on the bank and we were getting some rollers making it a bit more exciting with a need to hang on. We spotted one referred to as “Dent” (aka Minke Mouse) and “Stubbs”.  At one moment our passenger spotted “Stubb” underwater near our boat and it surfaced right alongside exciting all of us! On our way back towards Cattle Pass we stopped by to see the Steller sea lions and found a couple brown pelicans still hanging out there. At Deadman Island there were a few bald eagles including what appeared to be a parent with its chick. Maybe it was a teaching lesson about finding food since they looked like they were engaged in prey sharing on the rock. We zoomed up the channel riding in the crazy currents at Cattle Pass back to Friday Habror.

Turn Island State Park

Harbor seals hauled out south of Turn Island

Harbor seals hauled out south of Turn Island

Sailing along Lopez Island towards Upright Head

Bald eagle on Lopez Island

Mt Baker viewed from Upright Head, Lopez Island

Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s in Upright Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s in Upright Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s in Upright Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s in Upright Channel

Osprey fly by

Biggs/Transient orcas T137A and T137D

Biggs/Transient orca T137B

Biggs/Transient orca T137A

Biggs/Transient orca T137

Kids watching orcas go by from Canoe Island

Biggs/Transient orca T137A along Shaw Island

Biggs/Transient orca T137A

Biggs/Transient orca T137 along Shaw Island

Biggs/Transient orca T137B along Shaw Island

Biggs/Transient orca T137 with offspring T137D along Shaw Island

Biggs/Transient orca T137A along Shaw Island

Biggs/Transient orca T137’s

Biggs/Transient orca T137

Biggs/Transient orca T137B

Biggs/Transient orca T137’s passing Friday Harbor

Biggs/Transient orca T137’s passing Friday Harbor

Harbor seals hauled out by Pear Pt, San Juan Island

Harbor seals hauled out by Pear Pt, San Juan Island

Fast close hauled sail down San Juan Channel

Harbor seals on Goose Island with Cattle Point Lighthouse

Harbor seals on Goose Island with Cattle Point Lighthouse

Harbor seals on Goose Island

Harbor seals on Goose Island

Cormorants on Goose Island

Cormorants on Goose Island

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Minke whale surfaces beside our sail boat

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Gulls flee minke whale lunge feeding on Salmon Bank

Minke whale lunge feeding on Salmon Bank

Minke whale on Salmon Bank with Olympic Mountains

Minke whale on Salmon Bank (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale on Salmon Bank (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale surfacing beside our sail boat

Minke whale surfacing beside our sail boat

Minke whale surfacing beside our sail boat

Minke whale surfacing beside our sail boat

Minke whale #2

Minke whale on Salmon Bank with Mt Baker

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Gulls feeding on bait fish

Minke whale on Salmon Bank (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale on Salmon Bank (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale lunge feeding (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale lunge feeding (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale lunge feeding (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale lunge feeding (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale lunge feeding (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale lunge feeding (the one with nick on leading edge)

Minke whale with Olympic Mountains

Minke whale #2

Minke whale #2

Cattle Pass

Brown Pelican on Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks with Olympic Mountains

Bald eagle on Lopez Island

Bald eagle parent with chick on Deadman Island

Bald eagle parent with chick on Deadman Island

Harbor seal mom and pup on Deadman Island

Pair of bald eagles on Deadman Island

Cattle Pass and Cattle Point Lighthouse, San Juan Island