June 15, 2018 – An eagle and a great blue heron were making the most of the low tide as the ebb carried us inside Turn Island and South. Harbor seals using the rocks of Sharks Reef to haul out and warm up in the sunshine. Cattle Point Lighthouse and swirling black cloud span out above the swirling ebb. Coming in to False Bay a Humpback whale was swimming with J pod Southern Residents. After a close interaction there was ‘trumpeting’ with the Humpbacks exhale. J pod appeared to be socializing and possibly foraging with some beautiful vocalizations on the hydrophone. They turned South a little before Lime Kiln Lighthouse and we continued North to circumnavigate San Juan Island. We drifted through the beautiful mirror of fast moving waters of New Channel passing the kelp forests between the Cactus Islands. With evening light and lines of Canada Geese we heeled over sailing into wind on the way home.
Great Blue Heron, Low tide at Turn Island
Bald Eagle, Low tide at Turn Island
Low tide at Turn Island
Harbor Seals, Shark Reef, Lopez Island
Purple Starfish exposed at low tide sailing close to shore Lopez Island
Steller Sea Lions and Harbor Seals with Cattle {Point Lighthouse
Harlequin Ducks, Whale Rocks
Sailing across Cattle Pass with crazy skies
Swirling black clouds over swirling ebb currents at Cattle Point Liighthouse
Humpback Whale Fluke
Humpback Whale dorsal fin
Humpback Whale fluke, Southern Resident Dorsal fin in background
Tight group of J pod near the Humpback
Syphop
Whale watching sailing
J pod near Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse, Whale watch Park
Tail in the air
Goofy behaviour from J Pod Whale
Goofy behaviour from J Pod Whale
Breach, we think either J51 or J49 (it’s a male)
Lime Kilns Lime Kiln Point
Sika Deer of Spieden Island
Bald Eagle
Drifting through the Cactus islands
Elephant Rock
North side of Spieden Island
Kelp forests of New Channel
Evening Light and Yellow Island
Black Oyster Catcher
Canada Geese
Sailing into wind
San Juan island nears sunset
Sunset Friday Harbor