September 20, 2023 – Sunshine and wind gave us a brisk sail South cutting through the pass of Turn Island State Park and down San Juan Channel to Cattle Pass. Passing the lighthouse to Salmon bank to McArthur Bank scanning for the blows of a humpback whale. Looking against the bright sun with the backdrop of the Olympic mountains and we were able to spot the blows from quite a distance. We met 2 humpback whales traveling together and sailed alongside down McArthur Bank to Eastern Bank. One humpback was identified as BCY1124 “Magpie” and the other was BCX1795 “Scuttle”. We don’t have much info on Magpie, but Scuttle is a male humpback whale with orca teeth rake marks on his tail flukes and he has been documented at breeding grounds in Baja, Mexico. On our return we met a third humpback whale and sailed alongside to Salmon Bank seeing 2 breaches clear out of the water. We submitted images to www.HappyWhale.com and they informed us this individual is listed as HW-MN0510589. We returned via Whale Rocks and Deadman Island seeing many Steller sea lions, a red tailed hawk, Great blue heron as well resting harbor seals. Nearing Turn Island the wind picked up again giving us a fun close-hauled sail back to Friday Harbor.
Route map 9/20/23
Harbor seals, San Juan Islands
Cormorants by Goose Island
Olympic Mountains and Cattle Pt Lighthouse, San Juan Island
Humpback whales BCX1795 “Scuttle” and BCY1124 “Magpie”
Humpback whales BCX1795 “Scuttle” and BCY1124 “Magpie”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCY1124 “Magpie”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCY1124 “Magpie”
Dorsal fin for Humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle” showing possible propeller scars on back or rake marks
Humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Humpback whale exhaling with Olympic Mountains backdrop
Humpback whale exhaling with Olympic Mountains backdrop
Humpback whale exhaling with Olympic Mountains backdrop
Humpback whale with Olympic Mountains
Humpback whale cartwheel
Humpback whale cartwheel
Humpback whales BCY1124 “Magpie” and BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCY1124 “Magpie”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCY1124 “Magpie”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCY1124 “Magpie”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Humpback whales BCY1124 “Magpie” and BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Dorsal fin for humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Humpback whale exhale
Dorsal fin for humpback whale BCY1124 “Magpie”
Dorsal fin for humpback whale BCX1795 “Scuttle”
Tail flukes for humpback whale BCY1124 “Magpie”
Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 with Olympic Mountains
Humpback whale HW-MN0510589
Whale tail flukes for Humpback HW-MN0510589
Whale tail flukes for Humpback HW-MN0510589
Whale tail flukes for Humpback HW-MN0510589
Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 with Olympic Mountains
Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 exhale
Whale tail flukes for Humpback HW-MN0510589
Whale tail flukes for Humpback HW-MN0510589
Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 breaching
Humpback whale ID: HW-MN0510589
Humpback whale ID: HW-MN0510589
Steller Sea Lions at Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Steller Sea Lions at Whale Rocks
Steller Sea Lions at Whale Rocks
Steller Sea Lion at Whale Rocks
Steller Sea Lions at Whale Rocks
Cormorants
Harbor seals at Deadman Island
Red tailed hawk overlooking Deadman Island
Great blue heron
Harbor seals at Shark Reef
Passenger taking the helm and sailing us back to Friday Harbor