Biggs Orca Horse Play

Orca version of Horse Play

What does it mean when we see three different multi-pod groups of whales, all playing and horsing around? It means we had a fantastic day with Biggs Orca horse play being their only concern. Our first group was up in Georgia Strait near Alden Bank. Three adult males in this group of around twenty orcas. One male named Beardsley has a big arch in his dorsal fin from an early in life injury.

There was lots of spy hopping, headstands, and tail lobbing going on. Because of this there were yelps of joy from the nearby tour boats. It was a beautiful show with about twenty animals present. After about twenty minutes, a few boats showed up from Vancouver, and it was time to move on.

T77A Dragging Crab Pots Again

We headed south to see the 124A’s and 77A. They were making their way southbound in Rosario Strait. By the time we got to them they had gone through Obstruction Pass and were inside the islands. T77 had been doing his mischievous deeds and dragging crab pots around. There were several commercial crabbers out there, and I can imagine their thoughts as they watched their gear moving on. We did not get to see him in action this time. However, he did surface fairly close, resulting in me shutting down and watched him move on. Then he eluded everyone not to be seen again until hours later by himself.

As we observed the 124s, we stayed until they started into Harney Channel, headed for the Orcas Ferry Terminal. I did not follow them into the narrow passage; instead, we took an alternate route home. I did flag down a large yacht headed into the channel at a pretty good clip. He was glad for the notice, and they chose to go down Upright Channel instead of the narrow Harney Channel. That is the same choice we made heading back to Friday Harbor.

Bomb Threat on the Ferry Elwah

An unusual and intense time in Friday Harbor today. Someone had left a note in the restroom on the Ferry Elwah that a bomb was onboard. The US Coast Guard let me out of my slip to start our tour. However, on our return, they stopped me. I was told to drop my guests at the US Customs dock and then be escorted into my slip by a second USCG vessel. At one point, I asked the escort driver if he knew I was heading into my boat slip between the ferry and Spring Street dock. I am not sure he got the message straight from the other vessel. My escort kept getting closer to within a few feet like he was trying to steer me away from the dock and head me into the main marina.

I went home and started editing pics. While editing, Lisa got a call from some ferry riders whose return trip canceled. They wanted to go out tonight. As a result, I headed back to the boat, and we enjoyed an evening tour. The Orca in San Juan Channel were very playful. They were breaching, tumbling over each other, and spy hopping.

A Magnificent Evening with Orca

This evenings group did not move more than a half mile the entire time we were observing them, mostly shut down and drifting with the current as were the whales. I hope you all enjoy these pics of Biggs Orca horse play action going on for the entire day. No travel mode, no sleeping, just horseplay.