A sail around Waldron to New Channel

August 29, 2020 – We decided to head north today with the flood in our favor. We had a fabulous sail through Spring Passage and across to Pt Disney. Hugging the Waldron coastline we admired the cliffs and the forest finding harbor seals hauled out on the south shore along the way.

Passing by the north side of Bare Island we found several types of cormorants and more harbor seals. Mt Baker started poking out from the clouds as we made our way around Skipjack Island. A great blue heron stood still as we drifted by and harbor seals rested in the sunshine. After passing by Sandy Pt we went to a few more National Wildlife Refuges, White Rock, Gull Rock and Flattop Island. We found more cormorants, gulls, harbor seals, a bald eagle and several pairs of black oystercatchers including a growing chick as indicated by his/her half black/half red bill. We had a beautiful moment with many harbor porpoise traveling south abeam of Flattop Island. Individuals and small groups just kept on coming down from Boundary Pass towards Jones Island. Some passed close enough that we could hear their exhales.

After circumnavigating Flattop Island we headed west towards Ripple Island and cut in between the Cactus Islands. We found several bald eagles and loads of harbor seals on the rocks. Skirting the north side of Spieden Island we found animals in the woods and on the eastern tip grazing including many Sika deer, fallow deer and Mouflon sheep.

As we came down San Juan Channel we were treated to the sun setting and the almost full moon rising. A perfect end to a really great day exploring all the nearby wildlife areas we love so much.