June 12, 2024 – With news of Biggs/Transient orca nearby, the T65A’s (minus T65A3 and T65A5), we headed south to see them. After passing a bunch of harbor seals warming up in the sunshine near Turn Island we spotted the orcas who were hunting abeam of Fisherman’s Harbor. Eventually the orca continued north very slowly against the ebbing current, and we broke away just shy of Friday Harbor with a plan to check out Sucia Island.
The bald eagle chick was visible in the nest on Cliff Island as one of the parents stood in the tree above. We hugged the north coast of Orcas Island looking for back eddies spotting bald eagles and a Peregrine falcon along the way. At Sucia Island we weaved our way through the fingers enjoying the unique geology. There were many pigeon guillemots there whistling to one another. Drifting in that peaceful, beautiful place we brought out our homemade carrot cake to celebrate our passenger’s birthday while our daughter sang Happy Birthday.
We wrapped around the top of the island and began our sail back down President Channel. To our good fortune the T65A’s were northbound in the channel and so we got to see them one more time before continuing our trip back to Friday Harbor.
Harbor seals hauled out by Turn Island
Harbor seals hauled out by Turn Island
Harbor seals hauled out by Turn Island
Harbor seals hauled out by Turn Island
Biggs/Transient orcas hunting – T65A
Biggs/Transient orcas hunting – T65A4
Biggs/Transient orcas hunting – T65A6
Biggs/Transient orcas hunting – T65A6
Biggs/Transient orcas hunting – T65A2
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s northbound San Juan Channel
Pair of bald eagles
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s northbound close to shore Turn Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A2 and youngest sibling T65A6
Biggs/Transient orca T65A
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s moving slowly in the direction towards Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T65A2
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s passing WA State Ferry
Shaw Island coastline
Bald eagle
Bald eagle chick in nest on McConnell Island
Bald eagle – San Juan Islands
Looking westbound into Spieden Channel
Historic Lime Kiln on Orcas Island
Bald eagle – Orcas Island
North coast of Orcas Island – Turtleback Mountain
Peregrine falcon at Pt Doughty, Orcas Island
Sucia Island
Pigeon guillemot in flight
Pigeon guillemots – Sucia Island
Purple ochre sea star – Sucia Island
Sucia Island
Passenger’s Birthday celebration with homemade carrot cake
Pigeon guillemots – Sucia Island
Sucia Island
Sucia Island
Cutting through the gap Sucia Island
Harbor seals hauled out, Sucia Island
Harbor seals hauled out, Sucia Island
Sucia Island
Bald eagle nest on Sucia Island
Sucia Island
Cutting through the gap by Little Sucia Island
Cutting through the gap by Little Sucia Island
Biggs/Transient orca T65A
Rhinoceros Auklets in flight
Biggs/Transient orca T65A4
Biggs/Transient orca T65A2 showing new scratches on top of back
Biggs/Transient orca T65A2
Layers of islands in Boundary Pass
North coast of Orcas Island – Turtleback Mountain
Little McConnell Island
Route map 6/12/24