Sailing with Orcas T60's and T2B near Middle Bank

August 20, 2020 – We headed South with the a strong ebb in our favor, some good winds and a report of the T60 matriline of Biggs Orcas including companion T2B crossing the border into the US at Middle Bank. Despite a forecast of rain the conditions were quite magical with beautiful sky-scapes. We passed Goose Island cormorant rookery and Cattle Point Lighthouse and headed out across Haro Strait to Middle Bank.

The T60 family of 6 orcas including accompanying female T2B had been milling in the same location for 2 to 3 hours but began slowly traveling North as we arrived. We were able to sail alongside wing on wing and a beam reach while the wind held. There was a beautiful view of the Olympic mountains to the South of us.

With a dark cloud approaching from the North we sailed away from the Orcas and headed for Salmon Bank. Conditions were perfect for spotting but today we didn’t find any minke whales here. The flood current had begun and was setting up conditions of whirlpools where the back eddies met the flood at the rocks. Steller sea lions were jousting each other or resting and we saw the brown pelican.

We came in by way of Deadman Island just in time ahead of a light misty rain shower. Harbor seals were hauled out resting and great blue heron waited at the kelp off Kings Point. The strong current in San Juan Channel gave us 13 knots most of the way home and there were many harbor porpoise in current rips of the channel today.