Elle | M/V Sea Lion | 9/19/2022 | 1:30PM
Today’s Classic Tour took us way up into Canada’s Gulf Islands. We followed reports of orca whales north out of Friday Harbor and caught up to them between Saturna Island and South Pender Island. We watched as two mammal-eating Bigg’s killer whales circled the petite Blunden Island, hunting harbor seals. While we didn’t witness a kill on today’s trip, we got a glimpse of some of the stealthy, yet aggressive hunting tactics employed by those Bigg’s. The two whales we were watching were identified as T60D and T60E, two brothers. While most Bigg’s killer whales will follow their mother for their whole life, it isn’t uncommon to see some of the older siblings off hunting on their own. After some great looks at these huge animals, we headed back into the USA. At Spieden Island, we saw some harbor seals, the most abundant marine mammal here in the Salish Sea. We also got to see some Mouflon Sheep, imported from France back when this Island was known as Safari Island and functioned as a hunting resort. After a lovely cruise through San Juan Channel, we docked back in Friday Harbor and said goodbye.