June 20, 2024 – After leaving Friday Harbor we chose to go south. We took the narrow channel around Turn Island passing foraging racoons, a pair of bald eagles, and resting harbor seals. A Steller sea lion was heading down the channel and paralleled us for a bit near Shark Reef. Purple ochre sea stars, black oystercatchers and a great blue heron were hanging out near Deadman Island. Many Steller sea lions were frolicking near Whale Rocks south of San Juan Island.
We continued around Lopez and met a pod of orcas including the T36A1’s, the T46B1’s, and male orca T51. The orcas were moving very quickly as they rode the flood current around Southern Lopez Island. We stuck with them for a bit into Rosario Strait and left them to come back the way we came to explore the Lopez coastline further. We had hoped to encounter other orcas (T77’s and T75B’s) who had finished their Steller sea lion hunt after 5+ hours and were traveling quickly east in our direction. Unfortunately, the orca pushed quickly into Cattle Pass on the flooding current instead.
We popped out to Salmon Bank looking for minke whales but got skunked. Assumed the minke whales moved to a different location because the orcas were crossing the bank. We finished our day with a shore excursion to Turn Island State Park.
Raccoon on Turn Island
Mt Baker and Turn Island
Harbor seals on the rock and Olympic Mountains
Harbor seals on the rock by Turn Island
Pair of bald eagles by Turn Island
Steller sea lion swimming down San Juan Channel
Two year old passenger who loves the water and whales
Black oystercatcher on Deadman Island
Bald eagle and Olympic Mountains
Purple ochre sea star by Deadman Island
Great blue heron by Deadman Island
Steller sea lions by Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Steller sea lions by Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Steller sea lions by Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Sailing in paradise
Bald eagle, Long Island, Washington
Bald eagle nest, Long Island, Washington
Bald eagle, Long Island, Washington
Harbor seals by Hall Island
Harbor seals by Hall Island
Black oystercatcher
Black oystercatchers chasing one another
Cormorants on Hall Island
Biggs/Transient orcas porpoising
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s porpoising
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s porpoising
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s porpoising
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orca T51
Rhinoceros auklet with fish in bill
Biggs/Transient orca T51
Biggs/Transient orca T46B1
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orca T46B1A
Biggs/Transient orca T36A1
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orca T46B1
Biggs/Transient orca T46B1A
Biggs/Transient orca T51
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orca T51
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Sailing whale watching
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s passing Castle Rock
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s passing Castle Rock
Mt Baker
Harbor seal by Colville Island
Bald eagle on channel marker
Biggs/Transient orca T51 with T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orca T51 with T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Biggs/Transient orca T51 with T36A1’s and T46B1’s
Bald eagle with the clouds
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s with T51
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s with T51
Biggs/Transient orcas T36A1’s and T46B1’s with T51
Biggs/Transient orca T51
Orcas with Mt Baker
Orcas with Mt Baker
Stunning islands
Towing our Bullfrog tender
Lopez Island southern coast
Bald eagle nest on Lopez Island
Bald eagle on Lopez Island
Lopez Island southern coast
Lopez Island southern coast
Toothpick Rocks, Lopez Island
Cormorants on Goose Island
Double-Crested Cormorants on Goose Island
Cattle Pt Lighthouse, San Juan Island
Skiff ride to Turn Island State Park
Visiting Turn Island State Park
Capt David and daughter Visiting Turn Island State Park
Ferry passing Turn Island
Route map 6/20/24