All Things in Time

Today was one of those days where we left the harbor with no reports of orcas in our area. We decided to head north up San Juan Channel and look for other wildlife, while keeping a watchful eye on the water for transient orcas.

We saw several Pacific Harbor Seals hauled out and swimming in the water... but no sign of the ever sneaky Ts. However, this didn't last long. While admiring the seals, we got a report of Ts hanging out at Hein Bank. We booked it across the north side of Speiden and then down the Haro Strait to meet up with them.

We encountered the T30s (T30, T30A, T30B, and T30C) moseying along in a tight group. They weren't going anywhere fast, didn't appear to be hunting, and weren't vocalizing at all. Apparently T30A was tagged a few days ago and his family group was returning to our area after spending a few days off the west coast of Vancouver Island. (It's amazing how far these guys can travel in just a few days!) We got some great looks at all the animals, but T30A seemed to be the favorite of the day (perhaps because his tall dorsal is easier to take pictures of).

We ended up circumnavigating San Juan Island and caught a glimpse of three Steller Sea Lions frolicking in the kelp just off Whale Rocks in Cattle Pass. The Stellers are a sure sign that fall is just around the corner...

Megan Young, Naturalist