July 10, 2024 – We had a very fun filled day watching a family of Biggs/Transient orcas known as the T109A2’s. They were northbound from Friday Harbor. This mother of 4 at 19 years of age must be a busy momma caring for everyone. It was pure joy for us watching this family of orcas who were actively socializing all day. There were more breaches than we could keep track of as well as tail slaps and back flips. While outside Roche Harbor they stopped to play in the bull kelp bed. As we continued on our way to explore New Channel we could see the orcas still breaching in the distance. There were several bald eagles near Spieden Island and the Cactus Islands as well as many harbor seals hauled out. The orcas followed behind us but took Johns Pass then proceeded to wrap around the top of Johns Island. As we were drifting in the fast moving current we watched as the orcas came through the narrow pass beside Ripple Island (our first time seeing orcas do this). They came behind the rocks where the seals were resting and then continued on towards Green Pt and westbound again through Spieden Channel. We sailed across to Flattop Island where we found more bald eagles and several harbor seal mom/pup pairs hauled out. On the south side of the island a few bald eagles looked to be pulling a dead harbor seal out of the water to eat. On Low Island we spotted a black oystercatcher with two adorable little chicks.
Juvenile bald eagle flying by near Friday Harbor
Bald eagle chick in nest on Cliff Island
Black oystercatcher with chicks on Low Island
Harbor seals
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s passing Pt Caution
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s passing Pt Caution
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s passing Pt Caution
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s passing Pt Caution
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca teeth
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca tail
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca spy hop
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orca T109A2
Biggs/Transient orca T109A2A
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca penis visible
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s orca breach (while urinating?)
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s – orca teeth
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca tail in the air
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – double orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca spy hop spraying water
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca spy hop
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca tail in the air
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s playing in kelp bed
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s playing in kelp bed
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s surfacing with penis exposed
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s playing in kelp bed
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s spy hop with kelp
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s surfacing with penis exposed
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful with tail in the air
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca waving
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip with penis showing
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca back flip
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca tai slap
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach with tanker
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s socializing/playful – orca tai slap
Bald eagle, Spieden Channel
Mouflon sheep, Spieden Island
Bald eagles with nest, Cactus Islands
Black tailed deer, Cactus Islands
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s coming in the narrow pass by Ripple Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s hunting by Ripple Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s hunting by Ripple Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s passing Ripple Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s passing Ripple Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T109A2’s
Bald eagle on Flattop Island
Harbor seal with new pup, Flattop Island
Harbor seals, Flattop Island
Pigeon guillemot with bite to eat
Bald eagles engaged in head harbor seals on waters edge
Bald eagles engaged in head harbor seals on waters edge
Harbor seal with new pup, Flattop Island
Route map 7/10/24