October 12, 2024 – With an early morning report of orcas at Portland Island and a flood current we headed north. We passed Limestone Pt over to Green Pt and met the Steller sea lions and just north of there we shut down to drift with about 50+ harbor porpoise foraging in the current. Into New Channel and through the Cactus Islands to Ripple Island with calm fast flowing waters with a family of six river otters on Ripple Island. We’d been monitoring a report of orcas at Eastern Bank northbound and after hearing that the Portland Island report was northbound we started to make tracks south. We rode the current to Flattop Island down to Jones Island and picked up speed for a southerly course to Whale Rocks. It was here that we met Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s and sailed alongside as they came inside of Cattle Pass and into Griffin Bay watching the setting sun. They hunted offshore of Jacksons Beach and possibly again near Pear Pt. Prior to the hunt we’d seen lots of prolonged logging at the surface followed by backwards swimming, tails in the air, and picked up a couple calls on our hydrophone. We could still see them at dusk as they approached Turn Island where we left and returned to Friday Harbor.
Route map 10/12/24
Murrelets
Mt Baker
Steller Sea lions by Green Pt, Spieden Island
Harbor porpoise
Harbor seal by the Cactus Islands
Six river otters on Ripple Island
Six river otters on Ripple Island
Harbor seals on the rocks in New Channel
Common murres
Pacific loon with mountains and glassy seas
Flattop Island
Harbor seal on Flattop Island
Bonaparte’s gull
Bald eagle, San Juan Islands
Harbor seal with large fish by McConnell Island
Harbor seal with large fish by McConnell Island
Pair of bald eagles on Little McConnell Island
Skye singing to everyone
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s entering Cattle Pass
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s entering Cattle Pass
Biggs/Transient orca T35A
Steller Sea lions on Whale Rocks
Steller Sea lions on Whale Rocks
Cattle Pt Lighthouse, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orca T35A
Biggs/Transient orca T35A2
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s passing Deadman Island
Biggs/Transient orca T35A3
Biggs/Transient orca T35A with youngest calf T35A4
Whale watching
Cattle Pt Lighthouse, San Juan Island
Biggs/Transient orca T35A1 logging
Biggs/Transient orca T35A2
Biggs/Transient orca T35A with youngest calf T35A4
Biggs/Transient orca T35A1 logging
Mt Baker in sunset light
Biggs/Transient orca T35A with youngest calf T35A4
Common murre with chick
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s near Jackson Beach in sunset light
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s logging near Jackson Beach in sunset light
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A1 near Jackson Beach at sunset
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s eating near Jackson Beach at sunset
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s eating near Jackson Beach at sunset
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s at sunset
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s at sunset
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s at sunset under moon
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown along San Juan shoreline
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown along San Juan shoreline
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown along San Juan shoreline
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown along San Juan shoreline
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown along San Juan shoreline
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown along San Juan shoreline
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown passing harbor seals on rocks
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown passing harbor seals on rocks
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s after sundown passing harbor seals on rocks
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s in the sunset
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s in the sunset
Biggs/Transient orcas T35A’s in the sunset
Moon