June 10, 2023 – The rain had stopped in time for our evening sail. Crossed the channel to Shaw Island and hugged the coastline up to Hankin Point spotting bald eagles, harbor seals, and admiring the gorgeous coastline. The eagle’s nest on Upright Head appeared empty unlike weeks before where an eagle stayed sitting in the nest and her mate stood perched nearby. As we scanned by Blakely Shoal we heard and spotted the blow of a gray whale (ID# CRC2506) near Humphrey Head. The whale had been in this area all day traveling back and forth between Lopez and Blakely Islands. We had some stunning views of the gray whale – our first of the season. We returned via Upright Head and the Lopez coastline spotting a river otter foraging along the coast. As we crossed the channel back to Friday Harbor we watched the sun go down over San Juan Island. A very beautiful evening !
Bald eagle on Shaw Island
Harbor seals in Hicks Bay, Shaw Island
Harbor seals in Hicks Bay, Shaw Island
Pacific madrone tree on Shaw Island
Picnic Point, Shaw Island
Juniper trees on Shaw Island
Bald eagle on Hankin Pt, Shaw Island
Bald eagle on Hankin Pt, Shaw Island
Pacific madrone tree on Shaw Island
Rounding Upright Head, Lopez Island
Gray whale CRC2506
Flower and Frost Islands
Bald eagles on Flower Island
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Blakely Island
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506
Gray whale CRC2506 tail flukes
Gray whale CRC2506 tail flukes
Gray whale CRC2506 tail flukes
Lighting captured a rainbow
Flower and Frost Islands
Spencer Spit State Park, Lopez Island
Frost Island
Frost Island and Orcas Island in the distance
Flower Island
River otter by Lopez Island
River otter by Lopez Island
River otter by Lopez Island
S/V “Glory of the Seas”
Pigeon Guillemot wit dinner
Ovoid shapes in the water
Tip of Shaw Island in sunset light
Sunset sail back to Friday Harbor
Bald eagle in sunset light
Yellow Island in the sunset light
Forest lit up in golden evening light
Smokey clouds in the sunset
Sunset sail in the San Juan Islands
Route map 6/10/23