August 17, 2025 – We left Friday Harbor and cut inside Turn Island viewing harbor seals hauled out on the low tide. Reports of Biggs/Transient orcas (the T124D’s) at Smith Island heading towards Deception Pass and a humpback nicknamed “Victory” off Iceberg Pt. As we sailed around Pear Pt it became evident that the T124D’s were not heading for Deception Pass but heading for Rosario Strait. We changed course and sailed inside Canoe Island to Upright Head to Peavine Pass while the orcas made fast progress up Rosario. As we approached Peavine Pass we noticed an osprey nest with an osprey above Blakely Island Marina. We hugged the forested coastline of Blakely Island meeting the orcas near Black Rock. Paralleling they followed the Blakely Island shoreline to the north tip where they stopped to hunt inside of Spindle Rock. We saw backwards swimming evident of a likely harbor seal predation. They came inside Peavine Pass, but changed their mind and came back out through Obstruction Pass. After witnessing another hunt off Obstruction Island they continued north and we resumed sailing back to Friday Harbor.
Orca spy hop
Route map 8/17/25
Belted kingfisher
Harbor seals by Turn Island
Harbor seals by Turn Island
Harbor seal by Turn Island
Picnic Pt, Shaw Island
Coastline of Lopez Island by Upright Head
Belted kingfisher on Madrone tree
Bald eagle
Osprey with nest on Blakely Island
Great blue heron
Blakely Island
Eagle on Blakely Island
Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s northbound Rosario Strait
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s northbound Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s northbound Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s northbound Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s northbound Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s hunting near Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s circling Black Rock
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s circling Black Rock
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s circling Black Rock
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s circling Black Rock
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s with backlit blows
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s with backlit blows
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s northbound along Blakely Island
People watching Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s on Blakely Island
People watching Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s on Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s near Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s near Blakely Island
Harbor seal swimming by in glassy waters
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s hunting near Spindle Rock
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s backwards swimming while eating
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s backwards swimming while eating
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s eating after predation
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T124D’s
Leaping salmon
Rhinoceros auklet
Great blue heron
Route map 8/17/25