June 25, 2024 – We moved fast to catch 4 playful humpbacks as they approached Turn Point Lighthouse, Stuart Island. One humpback fully breached and we saw another doing chin slaps. Hearing their blows and watching them in the calm waters was pretty cool. One of the humpbacks we believe to be BCX0519 “Stitch” along with another accompanying a mom/calf pair.
We double backed to meet the T75B’s (Biggs/Transient orcas) and saw them hunting a harbor seal near Limestone Point, San Juan Island. Sailed alongside to Flattop Island with some great views along the northern shoreline. On our way home we were hoping to see the T65A’s with T37A1 and T37A3 eastbound in Spieden Channel, however they changed course to the west. We did see them briefly at the west end of New Channel with nice backlit blows.
Returned via Spieden Island shoreline and down San Juan Channel for a spectacular day’s sailing with whales with a surprise birthday cake for one of our passengers.
Bald eagle, San Juan Islands
Shaw Island coastline
Harbor seals hauled out
View of islands west of Spieden Channel
Ferry in Wasp Passage with Mt Baker
Bald eagle adult with chick in nest on Cliff Island
Rhinoceros auklets
Bald eagle
Mouflon sheep on Spieden Island
Peregrine falcon on Spieden Island
Stuart Island
Turn Pt Lighthouse, Lovers Leap, Stuart Island
Multiple humpback whales near Stuart Island
Multiple humpback whales near Stuart Island
Humpback whale with Olympic Mountains
Humpback whale breach
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whales northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale calf tail flukes
Humpback whales northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale northbound Haro Strait near Stuart Island
Humpback whale tail flukes
Sailing whale watching
Stuart Island
Harbor seals on Stuart Island
Bald eagle, Stuart Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting a harbor seal by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s hunting by Limestone Pt, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orca in the T75B’s doing a spy hop
Flattop Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s near Flattop Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s near Flattop Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s near Flattop Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T75B’s
Mouflon sheep on Spieden Island
Canada geese and Mouflon sheep on Spieden Island
Spieden Island
North shore of Spieden Island
Bald eagle flying down to grab fish in the water
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s with T37A1 and T37A3 south of Stuart Island
Bald eagle on Spieden Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A’s with T37A1 and T37A3 south of Stuart Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T65A3
Biggs/Transient orca T65A
Biggs/Transient orca T37A3
Biggs/Transient orca T37A1
Biggs/Transient orca T65A3
Biggs/Transient orca T65A2 with Johns Island teepees
Biggs/Transient orca T65A3
Biggs/Transient orca T65A6
Biggs/Transient orca T65A4
Sentinel Rocks
Spieden Island
Mt Baker
Forest near Pt Caution, San Juan Island
Reflections outside Friday Harbor
Route map 6/25/24