T99s Saratoga Pass

Our afternoon tour today was with the T99s in Saratoga Pass.

It was one of those days when NOAA got the marine forecast wrong. It called for 5-15 knot winds and less than 2′ seas. Laurel and I had shrimp pots in, and instead of fishing for Ling Cod, we helped search for an earlier sighting of an orca. They were found southbound in Rosaria Strait and our plan was to take our afternoon guests down to see them. However, as the time neared we were hearing reports of 5′ seas and conditions pretty knarly. We went to plan B.

We headed down Swinomish Channel through La Conner and then on to Oak Harbor and Saratoga Passage, where we helped search for the T99s. We saw a kill of something—I’m not sure what—but you can see bloody water in one of the pics. Afterward, they were a bit playful before moving on.

Though it was still pretty breezy with the T99s in Saratoga Pass, it was much better than the Strait of Juan de Fuca where even the bigger boats were opting to avoid.

“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
Jacques Cousteau