A sea fog sail to Whale Rocks

August 27, 2020 – Raising the main leaving Friday Harbor a magical view opened of Mount Baker rising above a river of cold sea fog that flowed along the Shaw Island shoreline. Cutting through the pass inside Turn Island State Park in sparkling sunshine and we could see the sea fog extended down the Lopez shoreline to Cattle Pass. In amongst the harbor seals resting on the rocks Barbara noticed the black matte seal that we first saw in 2017 with lack of pelage or fur. With full sails we tacked in to San Juan Coastline to keep into the back eddies of the strong flood tide.

Despite a strong flood we made good time sailing by finding a back eddy all the way across Griffin Bay to Harbor Rock. We had snagged a length of kelp and pulling it on board cut the ends to make a kelp horn, As we skirted the edge of the fog and became engulfed in the twighlight zone we used the kelp horn; a prolonged blast followed by 2 short blasts every 2 minutes (restricted visibility sailing vessel underway). Nearing Kings Point and we could see the forest of Lopez rising above the fog.

We slowly made way against the flood through Deadman Island where whirlpools formed on the edges of the river of current. Harbor seals, a black oystercatcher and great blue heron watched as we passed. Navigating through the fog and we could hear the roaring of lions, Steller sea lions, as we neared Whale Rocks. We drifted at the edge of the kelp forest watching their boisterous playful antics.

Unfortunately, today we had an engine issue. We rounded out our sail with a wing on wing sail on the river of the flood current through Cattle Pass, back into the sunshine and back to Friday Harbor. Thankfully we were able to contact the diesel supplier and a new part was shipped by air before we docked and we were back up and running the next day. A magical sail through the fog and back into the sunshine. Every day is different.