August 1, 2019 – Half day morning sail. With the tide in our favor we sailed south out of Cattle Pass. As we drifted on Salmon Bank we counted three minke whales milling around us on the Bank. Two of them were lunge feeding through various bait balls. We could see the fish trying to escape leaping above the water. It was an incredible encounter with one of them swimming under our boat.
We sailed back via Whale Rocks to see the sea lions, harbor seals and cormorants. After circling Mummy Rocks we continued up and through Cattle Pass at speed with the strong flood current.
Route Map 8-1-19
Harbor seals
Nesting double crested cormorants
Turtleback Mountain
Minke whale on Salmon Bank
Minke whale with Olympic Mountains
Minke whale feeding on his side with tail fluke in air
Minke whale on Salmon Bank
Minke whale on Salmon Bank
We call this minke whale, ‘Minke Mouse’ – it has a nick on the leading edge of the dorsal fin
Minke whale lunging through bait ball – see all the fish?
Minke whale lunging through bait ball
Another minke lunging through the bait ball
Minke whale feeding on his side with tail fluke in air (tail has nick)
Minke whale surfacing near bait ball
Minke whale lunging through bait ball
Minke whale milling on Salmon Bank
We call this minke whale, “Sparkles” – he/she has a strange indentation forward of the fin and seven white circular marks on left side
Minke whale with odd coloration – this one we call “Minke Mouse”
Minke whale with odd coloration – this one we call “Minke Mouse”
Minke whale with odd coloration
Another look at “Sparkles”
“Minke Mouse” swam under our boat
Our passenger taking the helm
Steller sea lions
Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks
Strong current near Whale Rocks
Whale Rocks and Cattle Pt Light
Black oystercatcher and Cattle Pt Light
Strong current in Cattle Pass