Written by Bethany
on May 31, 2026

Whales in Mosquito Pass

Whales in Mosquito Pass

May 12, 2026 – We left the dock with a report of some Bigg’s Killer Whales traveling north along the west side of San Juan Island. By the time we arrived on scene, it had become clear that this family, known as the T49As were headed straight for a very narrow pass called Mosquito Pass. This is not the first time this particular family has decided to go through Mosquito Pass, which exits right into Roche Harbor. Multiple times a year, it seems like T49A “Nan” decides to take her kids through this area. We watched from a distance behind the family as they slowly made their way through, stopping to rest at the surface for several seconds in a behavior known as logging! Eventually, they made their way out of the pass and continued to one of their favorite areas, Spieden Island. We got some beautiful looks as the whole family surfaced together, including the newest calf, who is only a few months old, T49A7 “Nimbus”. After spending time with the whales, we checked out Spieden Island, where we spotted several turkey vultures and a bald eagle feasting on a mouflon sheep carcass.

Photographer and Naturalist: Bethany Shimasaki – Instagram: @AdventuresWithBethany – Instagram: @WesternPrinceWildlife – Facebook: Western Prince Whale Watching Adventures

Written by Bethany
on May 31, 2026

Whales in Mosquito Pass

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