Sailed South with news of Southern Resident Orcas Inbound

September 13th, 2018 – Sailed South with news of Southern Resident Orcas Inbound passing Race Rocks. We passed Turn Rock with quite a boost from the ebbing tide. Then crossing to Lopez tacking our way down the channel to Cattle Pass. Great Blue Heron at Kings Point, motionless, poised to spear a fish. Many Harbor Seals in the pass inside Deadman Island and the small pups now all seem to be independent of their mothers. Black Oyster Catchers on the rocks and Bald Eagle at its roost watching the tide roll away.

We watched Steller Sea Lions at Whale Rocks and then decided to sail out into the Straits towards Discovery Island to meet the incoming Orcas. Turning and sailing alongside they swam quickly towards False Bay. We saw Js and Ks, the J16s with others (J22s, J14s and J11s) were in the lead. Nearby was J12 with J43. There were a few cartwheels as the whales neared False Bay. We also saw a Pacific White sided dolphin, (from a group of three), high speed swimming near the Orcas. We left them near Eagle Point and returned with the flood passing Cattle Point Lighthouse at speed, warp factor 11 knots, making it home in time for the 6:30 ferry.