July 11, 2019 – North on the flood current with news of the T77s (minus T77A) Biggs/Transient Orcas who were Northbound from Kelp Reef. We tacked around Low Island where we saw a bald eagle and harbor seals with pups.
We made haste crossing to Sentinel Island following the Stuart Island shoreline meeting the T77s at Turn Point Lighthouse. We then sailed parallel as they crossed into Canada towards Moresby Island as a tight group. We left them to sail South a couple of miles and meet the T30Bs with T117B (14 year old probable female) and T172 (~30 year old female). We have not seen T117B or T172 before and believe them to be infrequent visitors to San Juan Island.
After they cleared to the North we resumed a course into New Channel. The North side of Spieden Island gave a distant glimpse of a Peregrine Falcon, nice views of roosting bald eagles and several harbor seals with pups. We passed between the Cactus Islands sailing the edge of the kelp forest and crossed to Flattop Island. With the ebb down San Juan Channel passing a bald eagle with an immature eagle eating at Low Island.
Harbor seals, Sentinel Rock
Harbor seals on Stuart Island shoreline
Pigeon Guillemots on Stuart Island
Turn Pt Lighthouse and Lovers Leap
T77B passing close to whale watchers
Turn Pt Lighthouse, Stuart Island
Biggs/Transient killer whales T77’s (minus T77A)
Biggs/Transient killer whales T77’s (minus T77A)
Biggs/Transient killer whales T77’s (minus T77A)
Biggs/Transient killer whale T30B
Biggs/Transient killer whale T30B with youngest calf, T30B2
Biggs/Transient orca, T172
Biggs/Transient killer whales T117B and T30B1
Peregrine Falcon
Bald eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Bald eagle
Red head harbor seal
Pair of bald eagles
Harbor seal pup with piece of umbilical cord showing (on left)
Harbor seal pup with piece of umbilical cord showing and fetal folds
Flattop Island
Juvenile Bald Eagle
Harbor seal with adorable pup
Pigeon Guillemot with fish
Pigeon Guillemot with fish
Bald eagle on Flattop Island
Pretty Clouds
Bald eagles eating on Low Island
Juvenile Bald Eagle on Low Island
Looking west towards Canada
Sailing back to Friday Harbor