Distant views of T49A's across the border and two humpback whales

August 26, 2020 – With light winds and glassy seas we planned to go South today and look for minke whales. However, as we left the harbor a skipper called across to us that Biggs Orcas were hunting at Sentinel Island. So we changed course to the North. A gorgeous view of Mount Baker, bald eagles, curious harbor seal pups and two Steller’s sea lions at Green Point.

We heard that the T65B’s who had come West from Spieden Channel are now crossing the dotted line into Canada. We made our way into New Channel with its quick moving glassy emerald reflective waters and Mouflon sheep grazed the seaweeds on the shoreline. Then we heard about another group of orcas found known as the T49A’s that were heading for Turn Point Lighthouse. As they were leaning into Boundary Pass we made a course through Johns Pass to meet them. Unfortunately, they too crossed the dotted line into Canada and were hunting harbor porpoise just a mile North of us. We drifted at the border and watched through binoculars from a mile away.

Sailing in to Turn Point Lighthouse and Lovers Leap and we could see boats watching the T65B’s who were circling Domville Island 2.5 miles away knocking harbor seals off the rocks. We slowly made our way down the Stuart Island shoreline listening out for any change in the Orcas direction. In a surprise turn of events we heard two humpback whales were Northbound in Haro so we spun around and quickly caught up to parallel them as they travelled North passed Turn Point and crossing into Canada. It was awesome to hear their blows and see the tail flukes before their deep dives. The water here is the deepest in the San Juans at over 1100 feet and who knows the depths they were diving to.

Resuming our course along the Southern Stuart shoreline we came back into New Channel and drifted between the Cactus Islands. Many harbor seals were hauled out on the rocks East of Ripple Island. We caught the current over to Flattop Island which was beautiful in the late afternoon light and home to many harbor seals and eagles. Southbound to Friday Harbor through Nob Island Pass with birthday cupcakes and hot chocolate.