Biggs/Transient Orcas T123's followed by 3 Humpback Whales in Haro Strait

June 29, 2025 – With a report of Biggs/Transient orcas (T123’s) moving west from the Orcas Ferry Landing we left the dock feeling excited. We had a relaxing sail up the channel through the Wasp Islands and met the orcas at the bottom of Orcas Island north of Reef Island. They cut across San Juan Channel with varying speeds and dive times making it tricky to predict where they’d come up next. Little by little they oozed west toward O’Neal Island and then oozed back east towards President Channel.

With another report of 3 humpback whales slowly northbound in Haro Strait we broke away to head that direction. There was one Steller sea lion hauled out at Green Pt – a bit unusual as they’re usually gone from this haul out site from June through to October. We moved quickly through New Channel and came along the south side of Stuart Island scanning for blows. Another whale watch boat spotted them to the south of us so we headed that way. The trio was busy socializing and frolicking with pectoral flippers and tails in the air, also lifting faces out of the water and trumpeting. A very cool encounter. For the most part it was just us and the whales slowly working our way up to Turn Pt. Suddenly one of the humpbacks breached out of the water exciting us all! One of the humpbacks was identified as BCZ0488 “Scrimmage” but we haven’t confirmed ID’s yet for the others.

We departed the whales as they continued north, but saw in the distance that they flipped back south near Moresby Island. Another pair of humpbacks was northbound in Haro which we hoped to see, but they disappeared on the boat that was approaching us while watching them. We made tracks back down the coast of Stuart Island again and had a fun sail in New Channel before making our way back to Friday Harbor.