Day Sailing in the San Juan Islands and beyond

August 7, 2018 – Beautiful day today and Mount Baker stood out crystal clear above the islands. We headed North passing to the West side of Yellow Island where more than 20 Harbor Seals and Pups were on beach of the Islands West Spit. We took Spring Pass following close to shore of Jones Island State Park and on to Flattop Island National Wildlife Refuge. Harbor seals were with their pups and Pigeon Guillemots whistled their high pitched calls in the calm waters which mirrored the colours of the cliffs. On to White Rock where a Bald Eagle watched above the Harbor seals and then across Boundary Pass into Canadian waters. Many Black Oyster Catchers were doing their social thing at Java Rocks. Ferrel goats on the cliffs near Monarch Head. We followed the honeycombed sandstone cliffs of Saturna Island to Eastpoint and Boiling Reef. A good sail south at speed to Skipjack Island National Wildlife Refuge, a paradise for seals in todays sunshine. Passed the Kelp forests to Bare Rock before South around Waldron Island crossing Presidents Channel to Lovers Cove, Orcas Island. Followed the forested shoreline from Turtle Back Mountain South beautifully lit by the afternoon sun. We drifted while a large number of Harbor Porpoise surfaced around us. Many Bald Eagles watched over Presidents Channel and we rode the ebb current inside McConnell Island and through Nob Island Pass through the color changes of a spectacular sunset.