The Ciaavalli family were winners of the ‘Kiss the Sky’ Orca Benefit Concert auction item: ‘sail aboard Peniel with Captain David Howitt’. The first charter of the season for after 3 months of paint, varnish and full service to the hull and top sides. Buckets of rain had me considering options but the rain didn’t dampen this families enthusiasm and ambition to see whales.
Boarding at Deer Harbor, Orcas Island, our motley crew hauled the halyards for light wind sailing south of Flattop then drifted on the tail of the ebb through the mist cloaked cactus islands. Something about sound in sea fog had us all marvelling in the magical mystery, truly connected to the distant call and response of eagles. Winding through Johns Pass we crossed Boundary Pass to Canada, Blunden Island and Plumper Sound. I love to watch the reactions of people who have never seen whales in the wild. J2 Granny with L87 and the J14 and J16 matrilines. Repeated full body twists to bring the dorsal fin down with a slap we sailed parallel as they fished and sailed to Turn Point Lighthouse.
We left the orcas lost in the mist to continue down the southern shore of Speiden Island, where our motor sailing speed caught up to 11 knots riding the flood tide. North West coastal temperate rainforest at its finest.
J2 Granny
Whale watching Sailing
