September 8, 2024 – After sailing around Turn Island we met Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s (no T18 present) and the T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2) socializing and milling. T19C and T49A3 were hanging out together and T49A6 was busy breaching. They had been milling in this area for about 3 hours before traveling north into Upright Channel. We left them and sailed south tacking our way to Cattle Pass. We watched the Steller sea lions through the fog and circled around Long Island where the sea mist had started to lift. There was a large group of harbor porpoise between the bait balls just south of Long Island. Coming out to Salmon Bank and we found a minke whale (aka “Dent”) who also foraged in a bait ball. Upon our return we spotted a harbor seal eating a salmon and returned to Friday Harbor close to sunset.
Route map 9/8/24
Sailing around Turn Island
Biggs orca inverted tail lob
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s and T49A’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orca T19C
Biggs/Transient orcas T19C and T49A3
Biggs/Transient orcas T19C and T49A3
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s and T49A’s socializing
Orca tail flukes in the air
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A and T19
Biggs/Transient orca T49A6 breaching
Biggs/Transient orca T19B
Biggs/Transient orca T49A6 breaching
Biggs/Transient orca T49A6 breaching
Orca tail slap
Biggs/Transient orca T49A6 half breaching
Biggs/Transient orca T49A6 half breaching
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s and T49A’s socializing
Biggs/Transient orca T49A6 breaching
Biggs/Transient orca T49A6 breaching
Orca tail slap
Biggs/Transient orcas T19C and T49A3
Biggs/Transient orca T49A3
Biggs/Transient orca T19C
Biggs/Transient orca T19
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s and T49A’s on the move towards Upright Channel
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A with youngest offspring T49A6
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s and T49A’s with Ferry in background
Sailing downwind
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Harbor seals by Deadman Island with sea mist rolling in
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Harbor seals by Deadman Island with sea mist rolling in
Harbor seals by Deadman Island with sea mist rolling in
Harbor seal with fish
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks with sea mist rolling in
Sea lion silhouettes in the fog
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks with sea mist
Steller sea lions having a discussion
Rhinocerous auklets
Interesting catamaran with two masts
Rays of light shine through the trees on Long Island
Black oystercatcher
Harbor seals
Heermans gulls with pelagic and brandts cormorants
Harbor porpoise
Minke whale (aka “Dent”) on Salmon Bank
Minke whale (aka “Dent”) on Salmon Bank
Common murres
Minke whale (aka “Dent”) on Salmon Bank
Minke whale (aka “Dent”) on Salmon Bank
Minke whale (aka “Dent”) foraging on Salmon Bank
Minke whale (aka “Dent”) on Salmon Bank
Cattle Pt Lighthouse, San Juan Island in the fog
Minke whale (aka “Dent”) on Salmon Bank
Red necked phalaropes
Harbor seal with fish – gulls wants some, too
Harbor seal with fish – gulls wants some, too
Cormorants and empty nests on Goose Island
Close hauled sailing into the sunset