All Aboard Sailing

Biggs/Transient orcas T69’s and T69A’s plus Humpback whale HW-MN0510589

By allaboardsailing@yahoo.com September 21, 2023 Full Day Sail, Sailing with Humpback Whales, Sailing with Transient Orcas, Sailing with whales
September 21, 2023 – With a large group of orcas reported eastbound from Middle Bank (T109’s and T109A’s) we decided to go south after leaving Friday Harbor. We cut through the narrow channel behind Turn Island passing resting harbor seals. After exiting Cattle Pass we went by Whale Rocks to see the Steller sea lions. Two more groups of orca were found further east of the initial group including T69’s and T69A’s. We were very excited as we’ve never seen any of these orca families.  As we were making our way west to meet them, the orcas were turning south/southeast so we kept adjusting course to intercept them. The T109’s/T109A’s turned directly south and went to Dungeness on the mainland side getting completed out of range for us. But, we did finally get on scene with the T69’s and T69A’s at the top of Eastern Bank. Both groups were spread from one another and zig zagging quite a bit. We got distant off angle views of the T69’s – who happen to have one of the largest male orcas (T69C) around. But, we did get great views of the T69A’s and the newest calf, T69A6, born earlier this year. On our way back we stopped to see a humpback whale near MacArthur Bank and it was the same one we saw yesterday. This humpback has been identified as HW-MN0510589. We returned via Salmon Bank where there were large groups of surf scoters and white-winged scoters, plus grebes mixed in. Passed by Goose Island and back up San Juan Channel to Friday Harbor.

Route map 9/21/23

School bus on ferry

Island at high tide near Turn Island

Harbor seals hauled out, San Juan Islands

Harbor seal hauled out by Reef Pt, San Juan Islands

Harbor seals hauled out by Reef Pt, San Juan Islands

Steller Sea Lions near Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands

Steller Sea Lions near Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands

Steller Sea Lions near Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands

Steller Sea Lions near Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands

Biggs/Transient orca T69A

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A with T69A4

Biggs/Transient orca T69A2

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A’s

Orca with Olympic Mountains

Biggs/Transient orcas T69’s

Biggs/Transient orca T69C

Biggs/Transient orca T69’s

Biggs/Transient orca T69C

Biggs/Transient orca 

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A’s

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A3 with brother T69A2

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A’s

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A2 with mom, T69A

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A’s

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A’s

Biggs/Transient orca T69A with newest calf, T69A6

Biggs/Transient orca T69A with Mt Baker

Biggs/Transient orca T69A2

Biggs/Transient orca T69A2

Biggs/Transient orca T69A4

Biggs/Transient orca T69A

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A with newest calf, T69A6

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A with newest calf, T69A6

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A with newest calf, T69A6

Biggs/Transient orca T69A2

Biggs/Transient orca T69A3

Biggs/Transient orcas T69A4

Biggs/Transient orca T69A4 

Biggs/Transient orca T69A2

Biggs/Transient orca T69A2

Distant view of Biggs/Transient orcas T69’s

Distant view of Biggs/Transient orcas T69’s

Distant view of Biggs/Transient orcas T69’s

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 tail flukes

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 – dorsal fin right side

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 – dorsal fin right side

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589 – dorsal fin left side

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589

Humpback whale HW-MN0510589

Cattle Pt Lighthouse and a bunch of scoters

Scoters near Salmon Bank

Cormorants on Goose Island

Great blue heron

Goose Island and Cattle Pt Lighthouse – harbor seals hauled out

Steller sea lion checking us out

Capt David hanging out on a bean bag chair

Harbor seals, San Juan Islands

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