An incredible encounter with humpback whales BCY0160 Heather and BCY0458 Raptor

May 29, 2019 – Today was a spectacular day jammed packed with goodness. So many amazing sights. Leaving the harbor our passengers spotted a bald eagle in the grass collecting moss for his/her nest.

Black oyster catchers and harbor seals rested on Low Island. Wildflowers still hanging on on Yellow Island as the purples and yellows attract our eyes surrounding the madrone trees.

We moved north fairly quickly with news of a pair of humpback whales at Kellett Bluff. As we drifted through one of our favorite places we spotted a gigantic jellyfish, a peregrine falcon, and many bald eagles.

Upon hearing news that the humpbacks flipped south passing Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse, we decided to do something different today and cross the border to check out Mandarte Island. Hundreds or maybe thousands of birds were nesting and breeding. Pelagic, double-crested and Brandt’s cormorants, glaucous winged gulls, pigeon guillemots, black oyster catchers, and more.

On hearing news that the humpbacks had again turned back north we pointed into wind close hauled to sail back across Haro Strait and meet them. Two big whales, BCY0160 Heather and BCY0458 Raptor, breathed in synchrony. Extensive periods of time at the surface before fluking and beginning their five minute deep dives. The coastline of Kellett Bluff drops down extensively to 800ft. These whales are amazing. We enjoyed our supper wing on wing inside of Battleship Island before scooting back home via tacking through the Wasp Pass Islands.