Biggs/Transient orcas T65 and T63 "Chainsaw"

September 29, 2024 – With an early morning report of orcas in Boundary Pass north of Skipjack Island we went north. Weaved our way through the Wasp Islands and continued north to Flattop Island National Wildlife Refuge. Nobody found the orcas (until much later way north in Georgia Strait) so we continued our journey to explore New Channel. Through Ripple Island Pass and between the Cactus Islands down the coastline of Spieden Island. Another whale watching boat found a pair of orcas milling near the bottom of Sidney Island. It was legendary “Chainsaw” T63 and his mother T65 “Whidbey II”. We crossed Haro Strait and got on scene just north of Halibut Island. The pair were spread apart by about 1/2 mile or more and we paralleled T63 getting some fantastic views. After T63 grabbed a harbor seal that he double backed for his mother came charging across the strait to join him. The two prey shared (blood was visible in the water) and then they headed northwest to check out the reef north of Gooch Island. T63 gave a small spy hop in the kelp bed before continuing on to join mom again. We changed course to head back to Friday Harbor by way of the north side of Spieden Island via Green Pt to see the Steller sea lions.