All Aboard Sailing

Minke Whales and Tufted Puffins at Smith Island

By allaboardsailing@yahoo.com May 31, 2021 Full Day Sail, Sailing with Minke Whales, Sailing with whales
May 31, 2021 – Today we had our first minke encounter of the year – well, we actually found two minkes. One was on Salmon Bank and a familiar friend whom we lovingly refer to as “Minke Mouse”. He/she has a nick on the leading edge of the dorsal fin and it’s one we’ve been seeing on Salmon Bank for years. The other minke whale we found on Smith Bank. On both encounters there wasn’t any feeding behaviors observed. Both minkes would surface only once and disappear for about 4 minutes before surfacing again.
We found our favorite naked harbor seal near Turn Island. Harbor seals, harlequin ducks and a great blue heron on Sharks Reef. Steller sea lions and harbor seals on Whale Rocks. Immature and adult bald eagles plus an eagles nest on Long Island. A river otter in McArdle Bay. Oddly enough we found a raccoon swimming to Blind Island. And at Smith Island we found at least 3 tufted puffins and loads of rhinoceros auklets. A spectacular day.

WA State Ferry with Mt Baker

Harbor seals by Turn Island (including the ‘naked seal’)

Pretty landscape

Harbor seals by Danger Rock

Harbor seals on Sharks Reef

Harlequin ducks by Deadman Island

Harbor seals hauled out by Whale Rocks

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks with Mt Rainier

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks

Harbor seals with Cattle Pt Lighthouse

Minke whale with Mt Baker

Minke whale by Salmon Bank

Minke whale by Salmon Bank

Minke whale by Salmon Bank

Minke whale by Salmon Bank

Minke whale with Olympic Mountains

Harbor porpoise

Mt Baker

Minke whale by Smith Island

Minke whale by Smith Island

Minke whale by Smith Island

Rhinoceros Auklet

Tufted Puffin by Smith Island

Tufted Puffin by Smith Island

Mt Rainier

Eagle nesting on the tower on Smith Island

Eagle with nest in tower on Smith Island

Sailing with Mt Baker

Island layering

Sailing towards Castle Rock

Castle Rock

Harbor seal on Blind Island

Raccoon swimming to Blind Island

Sailing along South Lopez

Toothpick Rocks

Hike to the top of Lopez above Iceberg Pt

Jagged coast of south Lopez

Bald eagle’s nest on Long Island

Pretty landscape by Long Island

Goose Island and Cattle Pt Lighthouse

Route Map 5-31-21

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