March 22, 2023 – Started our sail with a fast beam reach across San Juan channel to Shaw Island. Drifted the beautiful coastline seeing bald eagles looking out across the fast moving ebb current. Sailed south and found many harbor seals hauled out warming in the sun at Sharks Reef and Deadman Island. Drifting through the narrow pass out to Whale Rocks where Steller sea lions ruled.
The current took us to Long Island with twenty something bald eagles looking out. We heard a report of Biggs Orcas in Rosario Strait at Peapod Rocks so we rounded Long Island to come back into Cattle Pass and scoot North on the now flooding current. We came up to Upright Head on Lopez and scanned the area in case the Orcas had come inter-island. Later we heard that they were on the East side of Obstruction Island, about 3 miles further East of us.
Southbound we cut inside Canoe Island and caught the flood current back to Friday Harbor.
Bald eagle on Shaw Island
Shaw Island coastline
Pair of bald eagles on Shaw Island
Harbor seals in Hicks Bay
Mt Baker
Harbor seals by Turn Island
Harbor seals by Turn Island
Harbor seals by Turn Island
Pair of bald eagles on Shark Reef
Checking out the wildlife
Our daughter, Skye
Pair of bald eagles on Shark Reef
Pair of bald eagles on Shark Reef
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Bald eagle on Whale Rocks with the Steller sea lions
Overview of the Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks
Playful sea lions
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks including some smaller ones
Raft of Steller sea lions
Steller sea lion about to take a dip
Bald eagle on Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks with Cattle Pt Lighthouse
Branded Steller sea lion 428Y
A bunch of bald eagles on Long Island
A bunch of bald eagles on Long Island
Black oystercatcher
Juvenile bald eagle on Mummy Rocks with Cattle Pt Lighthouse
Picking up a balloon that was floating in the water
Family sailing adventure
Family sailing adventure
Upright Head
Mt Baker and Upright Head
Bald eagle nest at Upright Head
Sailing down Upright Channel
Mt Baker with Ferry
Picnic Pt, Shaw Island
Route map 3/22/23