August 13, 2024 – As we left Friday Harbor we had two groups of Biggs/Transient orcas in San Juan Channel. The T60’s (minus T60D and T60E) whom we had watched on our earlier sail, had just passed Friday Harbor and were near Turn Island. The T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2) were a couple miles north with the T75B’s crossing the channel towards Yellow Island. We came around Turn Island and got some views of the T60’s as they were southbound in the channel. After changing course to head north to see the others we heard they were taking Wasp Passage, so we took Upright Channel. Enjoyed passing inside Canoe Island and the beautiful coastline of Shaw Island and met the orcas near the Orcas Island ferry landing. They wrapped around the point coming back down Upright Channel and we were able to sail alongside in short tacks. As the sun began to set it came beneath the clouds filling the previously gray sky with color. As we were just about to leave the orcas changed course towards Fisherman’s Harbor. They came into the very shallow shoreline sharking with dorsal fins just above the surface making very large waves as they were hunting. We returned back to port as they continued south.
