June 26, 2024 – After leaving Friday Harbor we headed north weaving our way through the Wasp Islands and west in Spieden Channel. We stopped to watch the Southern Resident orcas from J pod as they traveled southbound in Haro Strait. Many of them were porpoising and we also observed several breaches and a spy hop. Continuing around Stuart Island we spotted a bald eagle chick in the nest flapping its wings while the parent stood nearby. Cutting through the narrow pass called Johns Pass we enjoyed the wildlife and scenery in New Channel. It began to drizzle a bit but the harbor seals hauled out on the rocks didn’t seem to mind. We stayed close to San Juan Island as we made tracks back to Friday Harbor.
Note: all photos taken with 200-800mm equivalent lens and further cropped to show detail. While watching orcas we were shut down drifting and watched them go by whilst following Federal and State Regulations.
Ferry with dark clouds
Sailing wing on wing
Turtleback Mountain, Orcas Island
Southern Resident J Pod Orcas southbound in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orcas southbound in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orcas southbound in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orca breach
Southern Resident J Pod Orca southbound in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orca spy hop
Southern Resident J Pod Orca southbound in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orca doing a cartwheel
Southern Resident J Pod Orca southbound in Haro Strait
Rain showers
Southern Resident J Pod Orcas porpoising south in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orcas porpoising south in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orcas porpoising south in Haro Strait
Southern Resident J Pod Orcas porpoising south in Haro Strait
Bald eagle, Stuart Island
Bald eagle, Stuart Island
Bald eagle, Stuart Island
Turn Pt Lighthouse and Lovers Leap, Stuart Island
Bald eagle nest on Stuart Island
Totem Pole, Stuart Island shoreline
Harbor seals on Stuart Island shoreline
Bald eagle chick in nest on Stuart Island with parent next to it
Bald eagle chick in nest on Stuart Island flapping its wings
Harbor seal on Stuart Island shoreline
Bald eagle chick in huge nest on Stuart Island
Johns Island
Pair of bald eagles flying overhead
Harbor seals by the Ripple Island
Harbor seals by the Cactus Islands/Ripple Island
Distant rain showers headed our way
Spieden Island Bluff
Pair of bald eagles, Spieden Island
The Cactus Islands
Looking west in New Channel
Pair of bald eagles
Looking west in New Channel
Harbor seals by the Cactus Islands
Sentinel and Spieden Islands
Route map 6/26/24