August 28, 2025 – With a report of Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s (minus T49A1 and T49A2) north San Juan Channel we headed north. We came through the Wasp Islands and heard the orcas were westbound along Stuart Island shoreline headed for Turn Pt. Coming through New Channel having viewed harbor seals hauled out and bald eagles we drifted the Spieden Island shoreline. We decided to cut through Johns Pass and were able to meet the orcas as they headed north in Boundary Pass. After having lovely views we left them at Pender Island. On our return we spotted a humpback whale who had earlier been reported coming down President Channel. The tail flukes helped us to ID the animal as BCX1675 “Strike” a female who goes to Mexico for breeding season and is the mother of 2023 calf known as “Thunderbolt”. We branched off to Turn Pt Lighthouse and Lovers Leap returning by way of south Stuart and south Spieden Island shorelines. Exotic animals on Spieden included fallow deer with an albino or leucistic, sika deer and Mouflon sheep. There was also a bald eagle sitting near it’s nest. A great day on our extended half day sail.
Biggs/Transient orca T49A with youngest T49A6 revealing underbite
Great blue heron
Harbor seal
Harbor seals, Low Island
Harbor seal stretching, Low Island
Bald eagle, Low Island
Harbor seals, Low Island, with ferry in distance
Caretakers cabin on Yellow Island
Harbor porpoise
Marbled Murrelets
Black tailed deer on Jones Island
Harbor seals, Spieden Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s headed towards Swanson Channel
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s headed towards Swanson Channel
Biggs/Transient orca T49A3
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s
Biggs/Transient orcas T49A’s
Humpback whale BCX1675 “Strike” north of Stuart Island
Humpback whale BCX1675 “Strike” north of Stuart Island
Humpback whale BCX1675 “Strike” north of Stuart Island
Humpback whale BCX1675 “Strike” north of Stuart Island
Humpback whale BCX1675 “Strike” north of Stuart Island
Humpback whale BCX1675 “Strike” north of Stuart Island
Tail flukes of Humpback whale BCX1675 “Strike” north of Stuart Island
Pelagic cormorant trying to land on our spreaders!
Turn Pt Lighthouse, Stuart Island
Sailing towards Lovers Leap, Stuart Island
Pelagic Cormorant, Lovers Leap, Stuart Island
Stuart Island
Bald eagle, Stuart Island
Harbor seal, Stuart Island
Bald eagle, Stuart Island
Stuart Island
Resident Canada geese at Stuart Island
Harbor seals, Spieden Island
Bald eagle by nest, Spieden Island
Leucistic (?) fallow deer and sika deer, Spieden Island
Fallow deer, Spieden Island
Leucistic (?) fallow deer and fallow deer young buck, Spieden Island
Great blue heron
Mouflon sheep, Spieden Island
Belted kingfisher
Route map 8/28/25