What a day for Bigg's killer whales! We had the pleasure of visiting with sixteen of these remarkable individuals today, four family groups in total!
It started with the T36As just west of Toehead Island. This family of six led us down Rosario Strait, booking it with the ebb tide. Shoutout to Captain Trevor for the find! They led us all the way to Bird Rocks where harbor seals were hauled out and eyeing their approaching dorsal fins, while black oyster catchers were loudly announcing their arrival.
We left the pod south of this National Wildlife Refuge, and continued towards the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It wasn't long before we were on scene with a totally different group of Bigg's! There were some whales in the mix our crew had never encountered before, making this a particularly exciting encounter: T75Bs, T125A & T128, T146, T146B, T146C and T146C1. This group wowed us with a great pass, and then led us head-on into the howling southerly winds.
Other highlights of the day include tons of sea stars sightings, flocks of Bonaparte's gulls, and watching a mated pair of bald eagles return to their nest with food!
-Sam
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