Guests felt anxious as we pulled off the dock due to lack of reports; however, once leaving Roche Harbor we were given reports of black and whites up in Active Pass. Black and whites is a common nickname given to the killer whales, especially amongst captain and crew. As we travelled towards Active Pass in Canada, the whales also began moving towards us! We met up with three transients in Otter Bay – one female, a sprouting male and a young calf. Sprouting male is a term used for a male whose dorsal fin is still growing; it has not yet reached 6ft tall. We were able to travel with the whales for over half an hour – getting great looks at the saddle patch and dorsal fins, which scientists use for exact individual identification.
On our way home we stopped by Spieden Island, where we got a great look at the Sitka deer, bald eagles and several harbor seals. The Sitka deer were originally placed on the island when it was called Safari Island and was used for hunting. However, when Safari Island was closed the owners left the exotic animals and some have continued to successfully live there.
T18s hunting near San Juan Island