Sept 10, 2025 – After casting off we headed south around Turn Island seeing resting harbor seals on the rocks. We tacked to sail through Cattle Pass seeing cormorants nests and gulls with growing chicks on Goose Island. Sailed out to Whale Rocks where the Steller sea lions haul out and engaged in boisterous behaviour. We headed south of Long Island to Iceberg Pt expecting to search MacArthur Bank for baleen whales. However, there was a report of Biggs/Transient orcas, the T137’s, exiting Deception Pass. So we continued east along the Lopez Island shoreline while cooking lunch which we served in the blissful view of Castle Rock. The orcas had gone north so we increased our speed to head up Rosario Strait meeting the orcas at James Island. They took Thatcher Pass and came inside Willow Island and engaged in hunting a harbor seal on the Blakely shoreline. The hunt included a backward half breach by T137A, tail slaps, lunges and spy hop. When the hunt was complete we headed for Upright Head and ducked behind Canoe Island for a passenger’s birthday cake celebration before heading back to Friday Harbor.
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s by Blakely Island
Sailing around Turn Island
Harbor seals hauled out by Turn Island
Harbor seals hauled out by Turn Island
Harbor seals hauled out by Turn Island
Harbor seals hauled out, San Juan Island
Cormorant nests, Goose Island
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Harbor seals hauled out
Lopez Island
Enjoying lunch by Castle Island
Castle Island
Enjoying lunch by Castle Island
Harbor seals by south Lopez Island
Watmough Bay, Lopez Island
Cormorants and gulls
Biggs/Transient orca T137A aka “Jack”
Biggs/Transient orca T137A by Thatcher Pass
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s by Blakely Island (T137A)
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s by Blakely Island (T137)
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s by Blakely Island (T137D)
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s by Blakely Island (T137A)
Blakely Island
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s hunting a harbor seal
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s hunting a harbor seal
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s hunting a harbor seal
Biggs/Transient orca T137A “Jack” half breaching (with penis visible)
Biggs/Transient orca T137A “Jack” tail slapping
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s hunting a harbor seal
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s hunting a harbor seal
Orca spy peep
Orca lunge during harbor seal hunt
Biggs/Transient orca tail slapping
Biggs/Transient orca T137A
Biggs/Transient orcas T137’s
Biggs/Transient orca T137A
Lopez Island – Upright Head
Birthday cake celebrations
Fun close-hauled sail back to Friday Harbor
Route map 9/10/25