July 1, 2024 – A lucky day for us today as we had orcas hanging outside the harbor. It was a mixture of two families of Biggs/Transient orcas known as the T65B’s and T75B’s. We watched as the orcas socialized and played making little to no headway in the fast moving flood current against them. Eventually they looked as though they were moving on, but they were stuck treadmilling in the current between Turn Island and Turn Rock. We broke off to sail inside the pass by Turn Island spotting some harbor seals on the rocks with watchful eyes. Perhaps they were aware that the orcas were not far away. Sailed across the channel to hug the Shaw Island coastline up to the Wasp Islands and beyond to Flattop Island. After wrapping around Flattop Island we had an exhilarating sail back down the channel to Friday Harbor.
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Orca tail flukes
Male orca T65B1 tail slapping
Male orca T65B1
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Orca tail showing injury/scrape/gash
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing outside Friday Harbor
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Orca breaching – notice the cut going down the belly
Orca breaching – notice the cut going down the belly
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s southbound Turn Island against flood current
Orca tail flukes in air
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s southbound Turn Island against flood current
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s southbound Turn Island against flood current
Biggs/Transient orcas T65B’s and T75B’s southbound Turn Island against flood current
Orca tail flukes in air
Orca seaplane
Harbor seals by Turn Island
Turn Island
Beach on Shaw Island
Bald eagle nest on Cliff Island
Black oystercatcher on Low Island
Black oystercatcher on Low Island
McConnell Islands
Black oystercatcher flying by
Pigeon guillemot splash landing by Flattop Island
Cactus Island with Stuart Island behind
Fast close-hauled sail
Bald eagle, San Juan Island
Route map 7/1/24