Half day morning sail South

July 30, 2018 – Half day morning sail South on the ebb passing close on the fast current to the tip of Turn Island and the kelp forest surrounding Turn Rock. Close hauled and heeled over we sailed to Big Rock glacial erratic on the Lopez shoreline then tacked into the ebb again before turning for Harbor Rock the crossing Cattle Pass to drift through the pass inside of Dead Mans island. Many Harbor Seals were warming their bodies in the morning sunshine and the low tide revealed a number of starfish on the Lopez shoreline. We tacked again across Cattle Pass to Goose Island which was alive with Glaucous winged gull chicks and nesting Pelagic, Double Crested and Brandts Cormorants.Tacked again across Cattle Pass coming out to Whale Rocks finding Stellers Sea Lions both hauled out and having fun swimming the edges of the shallow area kelp forests. We drifted on the tail of the ebbb to Long Island where two immature Bald Eagles are now leaving their nest to nearby Madrone trees and stretching their wings. Beautiful to hear their calls across the calm protected waters. We moved out across Salmon Bank looking for Minke Whales who commonly forage here but none found this day. With the tide turning to flood we came back in San Juan Channel following the Lopez shoreline before jibing to the pass inside of Turn Island and back to the port of Friday Harbor.