October 8, 2026 – With reports of orcas crossing Haro Strait from Canada over Beaumont Shoals and Northwest bound we mustered our passengers for a slightly earlier departure. Ribbons of fog still came in from the South but the North was clear which helped us make speedy progress up San Juan Channel into Spieden Channel. Staying close to the shoreline now to avoid the incoming flood current we cleared Battleship Island and let loose the Genoa to meet the orcas mid strait. The T19 family of two adult sons and mum were traveling with the T49A’s together with T50D and T50B1. The T50’s are believed to be related to T49 but are very rarely seen here and more often sighted by rivers in Oregon. They moved North quickly with an extra kick from a fast flowing flood current and became spread across much of the strait from the US into Canada. At Turn Point we left them to view Lovers Leap and the lighthouse. Following the Stuart Island coastline down into New Channel with its peaceful, calm, fast flowing waters. Over to Flattop National Wildlife Refuge where we saw many harbor seals on the honeycombed sandstone rocks. Winds increased as we came South giving us a fun close-hauled sail tacking our way across San Juan channel into Friday Harbor. 
