Several pods of Killer Whales
Lots of whales around again today including Biggs 124C and 75Bs/Cs Killer Whales. There were other pods up north, however, the seas were also pretty heavy up north too. That was not a place I wanted to head for when we had calm water here. A beautiful sunny calm day on the water. I stopped to share Harbor Seals and Stellar Sea Lions on the way to the Orca.
Bald Eagle and Rhinoceros Auklets
There was also a Bald Eagle on the rocks with the Stellar Sea Lions. From there we made our way into Juan de Fuca and Haro Strait to see our first Orca.
We eased our way in closer to see T124C, a lone male Orca. He was making his way towards the west side of San Juan Island. I heard someone on the radio say, “what do you have over there, Ken?” I looked around me and wondered if that was really for me. Then I heard Spirit of Orca and knew it was. Officer Downs with WDFW was asking who we were viewing. We stopped to say hello in passing, and then we headed away from the west side.
T75B’s and T75C’s
Our next stop was near Darcy Island with the T75B’s and T75C’s. This group of whales is five animals in total, including a younger one. They were wandering in circles, presumably seeking their next meal. There were several kelp beds, and I kept expecting to see them pounce on a seal. However, it did not happen, though, at least not while we were there. At one point they popped up close, and as a result, we stayed shut down until they were safely away from us.
Harlequin Ducks and Black Oystercatcher
A couple of shots of Rhinoceros Auklet flying by. I snapped a few shots of a group of Harlequin Ducks and a Seagull sitting right in their midst. On the other side of the rock, a Black Oystercatcher was calling out in its high pitched voice.
Complete Tour Around the Island
We had gone south into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. However, the tour ended up being a circumnavigation of San Juan Island as we made a complete tour around the island. An excellent tour with Biggs 124C and 75Bs/Cs Orca in Haro Strait.
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