Captain & Naturalist Sarah | 06/23/2018 | M/V Seahawk
AHHHHH… Days don’t get much better than this on M/V Seahawk… bright blue skies and whales nearby. Owner/Operator Brian and I decided to leave Roche Harbor and head north to a report of killer whales just off of Waldron Island. As we Rounded Green Point on Spieden Island we quickly realized that the reported group had split up… two famlies heading north towards Boundary Pass, and another heading south through Presidents Channel. We got on scene with the family of orcas and realized quickly that we had the family known as the T137s. We watched as the whales grouped up and made a kill, most likely a harbor seal. After a brief time splashing about, the whales took a dive and continued to head for Spring Passage between Orcas and Jones Islands. The whales traveled in a tight group, save for T137A “Jack,” who travelled a bit further away from his mother than the rest of his siblings. This teenage male is going to be monstrous when he is full-grown! It has been an absolute pleasure to see him grow up! We got great looks at the group of orcas before heading out to look for some other wildlife.
After leaving the whales we cruised over towards the Cactus Islands on the north side of Spieden Island. These protected islands are the home to one of the most impressive kelp forests I’ve ever seen, and usually in the placid waters behind Spieden you can find all sorts of wildlife! The day didn’t disappoint! We found harbor seals, bald eagles, jellies, sheep, and even a peregrine falcon! It was a truly a spectacular day exploring the Salish Sea, and it was great to share with such inquisitive guests!