May 31, 2026 – Our passengers arriving by ferry today from Orcas Island saw orcas on the ferry ride to Friday Harbor. Biggs/ Transient orcas T123’s and T124A4’s were westbound south of West Sound. They took a lot of time before heading through Pole Pass which was good for us to sail across the channel to the west side of Reef Island. We met them near Steep Pt and sailed west alongside as they headed for Spieden Channel. Sailing and leaving them many times allowed us to explore the south side of Spieden Island. The Steller sea lions of Green Pt were gone, but there was a Steller sea lion carcass further west with a large number of eagles and turkey vultures waiting their turn. After rounding Sentinel Island with a view of the harbor seals the orcas passed us again heading north but multi-directional. We sailed south to Kellett Bluff where we met three humpback whales; BCY1274 “Seltzer”, BCX2064, and 2022 calf of Kappa. Drift sailing alongside we timed a deep dive of 12 minutes. The second deep dive, however, was broken at 5 minutes with loud crashes of breaching, chin slaps, and pec fin slaps by at least two of the three whales as it began with a double breach. The orcas were about a mile and a half ahead and closing but still multi-directional. As the humpbacks continued north the Biggs orcas left to the northwest and we sailed east. Returned to Orcas Island to drop off our passengers before a fast fun back to Friday Harbor.
