Transients in Canada!

Out on a earlier trip today on the Kittiwake....a report of Transient Orcas in Canadian waters, just off of Sidney....a report of Resident Orcas on the west side. With the fog thick to the south end of San Juan Island, we head north to the Ts! Clear, calm waters with the sun shining! The T46s, comprised of mother T46B and calves T46B1 and T46B2, probably with grandmother T46 were all traveling south. The little baby T46B2 was keeping the pace with the others! We traveled with this pod inshore of us and the T30s across the channel on the other side of us! Which way to look? Both groups would take several shallow dives followed by a longer dive that last a few minutes. Each time they surfaced we were surprised at just how far they had traveled. Just goes to show you how unpredictable the Ts really are in their dives.

Spent the rest of the trip viewing sunbathing harbor seals, visiting the nesting birds on Mandarte Island, and making our way back into U.S. waters by way of Stuart Island. Our guests on board loved the wildlife and islands tour as we zig-zagged through the Cactus Islands, around Speiden and back to Friday Harbor.

-Jaclyn Van Bourgondien, naturalist