October 17, 2024 – Today our passengers got lucky and saw orcas (Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s – still no T18 present) on their ferry ride to Friday Harbor. The orcas were first spotted outside Friday Harbor and took Upright Channel into Cayou Channel. We sailed north to meet them as they came out of Pole Passage. We sailed alongside as they zig zagged a course to the north eventually leaving them near Ripple Island. No hunting was observed just travel. Just as we left the orcas we noticed a half mile west were two humpback whales near Ripple Island southbound towards Green Pt. The humpbacks were later identified as BCX1068 “Split Fluke” and BCX1640 “Bond”. We broke off to visit the Steller sea lions, Mouflon sheep, fallow deer and bald eagles on Spieden Island. We met up with the humpbacks again and sailed with them all the way to Friday Harbor.
Route map 10/17/24
Bald eagle, Crane Island
Biggs/Transient orca T19B with Turtleback Mountain
Biggs/Transient orca T19C with Deer Harbor
Biggs/Transient orca T19B with mom T19
Biggs/Transient orca T19C, 23 years old
Pigeon Guillemot in winter plumage
Sunshine and rain clouds over Yellow Island
Rhinoceros auklets
Biggs/Transient orca T19B with leaning dorsal fin
Jones, Flattop and Saturna Islands
Fall colors on Orcas Island
Sunshine and rain clouds over San Juan Island
Jones and Orcas Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s
Biggs/Transient orca T19 with Orcas Island
View looking towards New Channel from north of Jones Island
Biggs/Transient orca T19 with Orcas Island
Harbor porpoise
Cactus Island with Stuart Island Tip Top Hill
Sailing towards Flattop Island
Biggs/Transient orca T19B, 29 years old
Biggs/Transient orca T19, approx 55 years old
Biggs/Transient orca T19C with mom T19
Biggs/Transient orcas with cloudy skies
Flattop Island
Harbor seals on Flattop Island
Flattop Island
Biggs/Transient orca T19B with Spieden Island
Biggs/Transient orca T19C passing New Channel
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s with White Rock and Pt Disney in background
Biggs/Transient orcas T19’s with White Rock and Pt Disney in background
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” with Spieden Island
BCX1068 “Split Fluke” with Spieden Island
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” with Spieden Island
Humpback whale with backlit exhale
Humpback whales BCX1640 “Bond” and BCX1068 “Split Fluke”
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond left side dorsal fin
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond tail flukes
Humpback whale with San Juan Island
Steller Sea lions on Green Pt, Spieden Island
Mouflon sheep/rams on Spieden Island
Harbor seal on Spieden Island
Mouflon sheep on Spieden Island
Fallow buck on Spieden Island
Bald eagle on Spieden Island
Mouflon sheep on Spieden Island
Spieden Island
BCX1068 “Split Fluke” headed down San Juan Channel
Humpback whales BCX1640 “Bond” and BCX1068 “Split Fluke”
Humpback whales BCX1640 “Bond” and BCX1068 “Split Fluke”
BCX1068 “Split Fluke” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” dorsal fin right side
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” tail flukes
Humpback whale with Turtleback Mountain
Humpback whale with Orcas Island backdrop
Humpback whale with Orcas Island backdrop
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” tail flukes
BCX1068 “Split Fluke” tail flukes
BCX1068 “Split Fluke” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCX1640 “Bond” tail flukes
Humpback whale outside Friday Harbor
BCX1068 “Split Fluke” tail flukes
Our daughter taking down the whale flag as we leave the whales