August 28, 2026 – Sailed north from Friday Harbor towards the Wasp Islands with a report of Biggs/Transient orcas T100’s (minus T100B’s and T100E) and T101’s (minus T101A (missing)) eastbound in Spieden Channel. We took our time checking out the seals near Yellow Island and Shirt Tail Reef and met the orcas near Mineral Point. Together we headed southeast down San Juan Channel against the wind. Gorgeous views as the orcas moved quickly powering through the waves down the middle of the channel in a perfectly straight line. We branched off at Turn Rock to visit the sea otter who was sleeping in the bull kelp. Harbor seals were hauled out on the rocks near Pear Point. We continued to Cattle Pass seeing the new cormorant chicks on Goose Island. Over to Whale Rocks to visit the Steller sea lions. Several were leaping and playful in the waves of the flooding current around the island. As we came north passing more harbor seals and a bald eagle by Deadman Island we met the orcas again. Just after we met them they reversed course to the north allowing us to sail alongside back to Turn Rock. We saw the sea otter again who was busy foraging now. Rounding the corner into Friday Harbor as the orcas dithered back and forth outside the harbor looking undecided on direction.
