June 26, 2026 – Despite the rain when we heard a report of orcas in Wasp Passage we mustered our passengers. We caught the back eddy in the flood to Turn Rock and sailed out to Upright Channel, but on hearing the orcas had changed course to the west from Blind Bay we changed course to head north in San Juan Channel. Our first glimpse of the orcas, the T49A’s, was northbound toward McConnell Island. Our next glimpse and they were going the other way. We met them south of Crane Island clearly engaged in a hunt. Drifting as they continued to hunt a second group of orcas, the T65B’s, appeared from the north. The T65B’s passed close by with no interaction and then took Pole Pass to circle Crane Island and this time they did interact with the T49A’s who had now finished hunting and were on the move east. Playful behavior continued with newest calf, T49A7, first documented mid March 2026. After passing Bell Island together the T65B’s continued toward Cayou Channel while the T49A’s disappeared. We sailed in the bottom of West Sound and then sailed to the west coming through Nob Island Pass. A distant view of the T49A’s had them heading south at speed. We met them again as they entered Friday Harbor coming inside of Brown Island and exiting to the south.
Orcas T49A’s and T65B’s in Wasp Passage
- Orcas T65B’s with T124A4’s in Boundary Pass
- Humpback whale BCX1800 ‘Gretzky’ followed by Orcas T49A’s