Close encounters with the transient orca pod in Bainbridge Harbor

A few weeks ago gifted us a magical visit with our old friends, the transient orca pod, T065A. We’ve had many encounters with them over the years, but this time they came into Eagle Harbor as we were headed out on an afternoon sail. The big boy chasing us down is (I believe) T065A2 Ooxjaa. An absolute bruiser of a dude. He’s exhibited this behavior twice before where he stalks TRUE and then swims under popping back up just off our bow. It’s thrilling. Members of this pod have approached and passed under TRUE 4 times in the last three years. And once while Ben was standing on the rocky shores of Blind Island, talking on the phone and watching this pod swim in the distance, big boy came along the shore just 20ft away from him, the spray of his breath misting Ben’s whole body, his dorsal fin as tall as a man. We know they are just animals, passing through and doing their thing, but it’s hard not to feel a connection. Or at the very least to feel honored and deeply grateful for the experience. They are really something, these beasts.

Huge thank you to @jimreitzphoto for capturing this photo of us from the decks of the also very lucky @wsferries TACOMA.