6/7/17 – An evening out with the T2C’s including new calf T2C4 (possibly born end of 2016). They were down about 9+ minutes in between surface time to breathe. We heard this was their pattern all day – impressive for a new calf with smaller lungs to stay underwater for that long. T2C2, a young male with a severe spinal deformity, seemed to be trailing the group majority of the time. Sailing with whales in the dark heightens the senses as you listen for their blows to hear where they pop up. As we write this post, the T2C’s came down San Juan Channel again this evening about the same time as yesterday.
T2C with new calf T2C4
T2C’s milling at the Spieden Channel/San Juan Channel intersection
T2C1
New Calf T2C4, possibly born end of 2016
T2C1 – male born 2002
This looks like T2C3, born 2011
T2C3, T2C4, T2C, T2C1 – T2C2 was trailing the group
Rain coming from the west
T2C1 exhale
T2C1 with Orcas Island behind him
T2C’s heading down San Juan Channel toward Yellow Island
A maze of islands
T2C’s milling by Shirt Tail Reef – Mt Baker in the distance
Beautiful Yellow Island on a gray night
Turtleback Mountain in the distance
T2C2 surprised us popping up beside us in the dark. He was born 2005 and has scoliosis – a severe twisting spine deformity
T2C’s passing Friday Harbor
Washington State Ferry milk run