All Aboard Sailing

Biggs/Transient Orcas T19, T19B and T49A’s followed by T36A’s

By allaboardsailing@yahoo.com April 23, 2024 Half Day Sail, Sailing with Transient Orcas, Sailing with whales
April 23, 2024 – With a report of Orcas Northbound in Haro Strait we sailed North from Friday Harbor and stayed close to shore in Spieden Channel catching the back eddies to make good time. This worked out well as rounding Henry Island we met the Biggs orca families we know as the T49As minus T49A2 along with T19 and 19B. Super exciting to sail alongside as they came into Spieden Channel on the flood tide. All the Stellar sea lions hauled out at Greenpoint (some 50 or so) got into the water, rafted close together with heads above the water showing their teeth and growling while the orcas made a very close pass right next to the shoreline. However they quickly moved on not stopping until they reached Gull Rock North of Flattop Island. A hunt ensued here lasting some time with clear vocals and a visit of a bald eagle while they were feeding. We moved on passing harbor seals hauled out and a bald eagle in its nest on Flattop Island National Wildlife Refuge. We sailed back by way of Spring Pass and the Wasp Islands and met the T36A family of orcas on the Shaw Island coastline as they passed Friday Harbor. A stellar sail with whales.

Mt Baker

Layering of islands

Bonaparte’s gulls

Totem pole on Henry Island

Bald eagle on Battleship Island

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s (minus T49A2)

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s (minus T49A2)

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s (minus T49A2)

T19B

T49A3

T49A1

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s near Henry Island

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s near Henry Island

Orca T49A3 with Totem Pole on Henry Island

Biggs Orcas passing Battleship Island – eagle sitting in tree top

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s in Spieden Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s in Spieden Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s in Spieden Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s in Spieden Channel

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s in Spieden Channel

Steller sea lions on Green Pt, Spieden Island

Biggs/Transient orcas passing close to shore by Green Pt where Stellers were

Steller sea lions jumped into water to ward off the orcas

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s

T49A1

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s with Flattop Island

Male orcas T49A1 and T19B with Flattop Island

Canada geese fly by

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s

T49A1

T19B hunting by Gull Rock

T49A with T49A6 hunting by Gull Rock (notice his underbite)

Pair of bald eagles in the air

T49A with T49A6 hunting by Gull Rock (notice his underbite and teeth)

T49A1

T19B hunting with his mom T19 by Gull Rock

Flattop Island National Wildlife Refuge

Biggs/Transient orcas T19, T19B with T49A’s

Bald eagle swooping in for leftovers after orca predation

Bald eagle

Harbor seals at Flattop Island

Bald eagle in nest at Flattop Island

Little McConnell Island

Yellow Island

Nob Island

Top of Mt Baker

Biggs/Transient orcas T36A’s southbound near Shaw Island

Biggs/Transient orcas T36A’s southbound near Shaw Island

Biggs/Transient orcas T36A’s southbound near Shaw Island

T36A2

T36A1

Biggs/Transient orcas T36A’s southbound near Shaw Island

Interesting scarring on peduncle

Biggs/Transient orcas T36A’s southbound near Shaw Island

Ferry arriving Friday Harbor

Sailing across San Juan Channel back to Friday Harbor

Our happy passengers who dreamed of seeing whales had an epic day!

Route map 4/23/24

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