September 5, 2023 – Shortly after leaving Friday Harbor David thought he spotted a blow by Turn Island, but then thought he imagined it as he didn’t see another. Well, turns out there was a group of four orca around the corner and moving southwest towards Griffin Bay. The orcas were the same group including two pair of siblings who’ve been hanging out together and circling San Juan Island: T137A and T137D with T37A3 and T37A4. The orcas moved quickly down the bay and grabbed a snack on the go north of Harbor Rock and again near Goose Island. Folks standing on shore at Cattle Point got some great looks as the orcas went by. After a few direction changes the orcas turned north and headed up the westside of San Juan Island.
We continued on our way with a great sail to Hein Bank where we scanned along the way. Another family of Biggs/Transient orcas, the T65A’s including T65A5, were northbound from Eastern Bank so we altered course to meet them. It was fun seeing T65A5 back with the family since he has been dispersing off and on his own over the last 3 years. The orcas oozed their way northeast and they, too, headed up Haro along the westside of San Juan Island.
While sailing back in the direction of home, a humpback whale was spotted at the bottom of Salmon Bank. It was the same humpback we’ve been seeing here (between Eagle Pt and MacArthur Bank) since Sept 1st. We believe the whale is identified as BCZ0345 “Victory”. We have yet to see tail flukes to confirm ID but the dorsal fin looks to be a match. Earlier we heard the whale fluked revealing it was white underneath like “Victory” has so we feel pretty positive it’s a match. The whale was all over the place and it was tricky viewing, but it was fun nevertheless to see it.
As we came north up the channel we heard the group of four orcas from earlier had wrapped around the top of San Juan Island and were on their way south. We saw them once more from Pt Caution until they passed by Friday Harbor. A pretty incredible day!
Route map 9/5/23
Harbor seals hauled out
Harbor seals hauled out
Harbor seals hauled out by Danger Rock
Kayaker watching orcas pass by
Biggs/Transient orca T137D in Griffin Bay
Biggs/Transient orca T37A4 in Griffin Bay
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Griffin Bay
Biggs/Transient orca siblings T37A4 and T37A3
Biggs/Transient orcas T137D with T37A3 and T37A4
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Griffin Bay
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Griffin Bay
Biggs/Transient orcas southbound Griffin Bay
Sailing whale watching from Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Griffin Bay
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Griffin Bay
Biggs/Transient orca T137A grabbing bite to eat in Cattle Pass
Biggs/Transient orca T137D in Cattle Pass
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Cattle Pass
Biggs/Transient orca T137A passing harbor seals on Goose Island
Biggs/Transient orca T137D passing harbor seals on Goose Island
Biggs/Transient orca passing Goose Island
Biggs/Transient orca passing Goose Island
Biggs/Transient orcas passing Cattle Point Lighthouse
Biggs/Transient orcas passing Cattle Point Lighthouse
Biggs/Transient orca T137A with T137D and T37A3
Biggs/Transient orca T137A passing Cattle Point Lighthouse
Biggs/Transient orca T137A
Biggs/Transient orca with Cattle Pt Lighthouse
Pelagic cormorant with chicks nesting on Salmon Bank marker
Pelagic cormorant with chicks nesting on Salmon Bank marker
Pelagic cormorant with chicks nesting on Salmon Bank marker
Sailing adventure in the San Juan Islands
Biggs/Transient orca T65A5
Biggs/Transient orca T65A4
Biggs/Transient orca T65A
Biggs/Transient orca T65A2
Biggs/Transient orca T65A6
Biggs/Transient orca T65A3
Biggs/Transient orca T65A3
Biggs/Transient orca T65A3
Biggs/Transient orca T65A2
Humpback whale BCZ0345 “Victory”
Mt Baker over Lopez Island
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Belted kingfisher
Belted kingfisher
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Black oystercatcher
Harbor seals hauled out south of Turn Island
Sailing around Turn Island
Sailing around Turn Island
Sailing around Turn Island
Sailing wing on wing
Biggs/Transient orcas southbound from Pt Caution, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas southbound from Pt Caution, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas southbound from Pt Caution, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orca T137A with exhale
Biggs/Transient orca T137A with exhale
Biggs/Transient orca T137A traveling along San Juan Island coastline
Biggs/Transient orcas T137D and T37A4 along San Juan Island coastline
Biggs/Transient orcas traveling along San Juan Island coastline
Biggs/Transient orca traveling along San Juan Island coastline
Biggs/Transient orca traveling along San Juan Island coastline
Biggs/Transient orca T137A approaching Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas approaching Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas entering Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Friday Harbor with beautiful backlit blow
Biggs/Transient orcas in Friday Harbor with beautiful backlit blows
Biggs/Transient orcas in Friday Harbor with beautiful backlit blows
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T137D and T37A3 in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T137A in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T37A4 in Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T37A3 in Friday Harbor – The Whale Museum in the background