Orcas T49A's, humpbacks BCY0160 'Heather' and BCY0458 'Raptor', and so much more

June 8, 2019 – An exciting surprise for us today when we found our old neighbors were with our local passengers. Downwind wing on wing sailing coming about with a fast beam reach into Low and Yellow Islands. Sunshine and good winds and we were all excited for what adventures the day might bring. At Jones Island we met the T49As, Transient/Biggs Orca family, who’d come inter-island and through Pole Pass.

After good views as they travelled and took Spieden Channel we broke away to visit Sentinel Island and the harbor seals of Sentinel Rock. We noticed harbor seals bulging with pregnancy and rather cautious even though we gave them good distance. We were at 10 knots in the ebb and caught up with the T49As mid Haro Strait amidst stacking up white caps reflecting sparkling sunshine. They seemed to be deciding South toward D’Arcy or Northwest towards Mandarte. We were faster under sail and lead the way to Halibut Island.

After exploring the cormorant colony of Mandarte we circled the island to meet the Orcas again as they approached. However they flipped South from here to go to D‘Arcy after all. So we took a fast beam reach sail passing Gooch Island to Stuart Island. Eagles were on the beach where we arrived and a river otter popped down over the rocks. The winds dropped close to shore and we drifted under Lovers Leap to Turn Point lighthouse. Circling Stuart Island peering up at a probable active eagles nest and taking Johns Pass into New Channel. We saw our first harbor seal pup swimming close to mum in Johns pass.

Supper in mirror calm waters under cliffs where we heard and saw Peregrine Falcon. Drifted along the magical forested shoreline and caught a little breeze to sail along the kelp forest edge between the Cactus Islands. Hearing of two humpback whales clearing Henry Island we decided to extend our sail and meet them. At first the blows were very distant but it was hard to give up and we continued and met them approaching Stuart Island. Backlit blows with sound of their exhalations is impressive. They passed very close to shore at Turn Point lighthouse and we saw the flukes of Heather ‘BCY0160’ and Raptor ‘BCY0458’. We left to circle Stuart Island once again with a fast close hauled sail all the way to Jones Island. Temperatures were cooling as the sunset gave muted colours through a haze and we pushed on to arrive back in Friday Harbor at dusk. An epic sail.