September 6, 2024 – With news of Biggs/Transient orcas loitering as a social group in Spieden Channel we sailed north. At Limestone Point we met the T19’s (no T18 present) and the T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2). They headed to Jones Island with multiple breaches and tail slaps. Sailing alongside as they continued towards the Wasp Islands, and we left them taking a southerly route expecting to find them transiting Pole Pass. However they went into Deer Harbor and hunted harbor seals. We met them again and there were multiple vocalizations on our hydrophone and more breaches and tail slaps. They then grouped together and traveled north in Spring Pass. Leaving the orcas we continued to Flattop Island, Ripple Island, the Cactus Islands and through New Channel. Other wildlife highlights included black oystercatchers, bald eagles, and harbor seals.
Route map 9/6/24
Biggs/Transient orca T19B
Biggs/Transient orca T19C
Biggs/Transient orca T19B draped in kelp
Orca doing inverted tail lob
Orca breach
Orca breach
Orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas going through a kelp forest
Biggs/transient orca tail slapping
Biggs/transient orca breach
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s and T49A’s socializing
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C breaching
Biggs/Transient Orca breaching
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C breaching
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C breaching
Biggs/Transient Orca breaching
Biggs/Transient Orca breaching
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C
Biggs/Transient Orca breaching
Biggs/Transient Orca T49A3
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C
Biggs/Transient Orcas in the T49A’s
Biggs/Transient Orca T19B
Orca inverted tail lob
Orca pectoral flipper slapping
Orca tail lobbing
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C passing close to folks on shore
Biggs/Transient Orca breach
Biggs/Transient Orca tail slap
Biggs/Transient Orca T19C passing close to shore
Orca pectoral flipper slapping
Harbor seals at Flattop Island
Harbor seal on Flattop Island
Harbor seals on Flattop Island
Harbor seals in New Channel
Black oystercatcher
Pair of bald eagles
Harbor seal
North shore of Spieden Island
Deer