July 29, 2023 – Winds were great today to move us swiftly through the islands as we visited some of our favorite places including Flattop Island, White Rock, Skipjack Island, and Pt Doughty. Harbor seals were hauled out at the wildlife refuges with their new pups. Bald eagles were scattered standing watch in the forests. The bald eagle chicks on Flattop Island appear to have fledged the nest! It’s possibly they were resting in the nest, but the previous time we saw them the eaglets were looking very large as they perched above the nest flapping their wings preparing for take off. North of Skipjack and Pt Doughty we found some harbor porpoise, We hugged the steep forested Orcas Island coastline as we returned via President Channel.
Seaplane leaving Friday Harbor
Bald eagle near Friday Harbor
Harbor seals by Bird Rocks, Wasp Islands
Harbor seals by Bird Rocks, Wasp Islands
Sailing wing on wing
Harbor seals on Flattop Island with honeycombed sandstone geology
Harbor seals on Flattop Island with honeycombed sandstone geology
Harbor seals on Flattop Island with honeycombed sandstone geology
Harbor seals on Flattop Island with honeycombed sandstone geology
Empty ? bald eagle nest on Flattop Island – chicks fledged the nest?
Empty ? bald eagle nest on Flattop Island – chicks fledged the nest?
Harbor seals on Flattop Island with glacial erratic
Harbor seals on Flattop Island with glacial erratic
Flattop Island and it’s amazing north coastline
Pigeon guillemot by Flattop Island
Harbor seals by White Rock
Harbor seals by White Rock
Harbor seals by White Rock
Harbor seals by White Rock with Pt Disney behind
Skipjack Island south coast
Harbor seals on Skipjack Island
Skipjack Island north coast
Harbor seal on Skipjack Island
Pigeon guillemot by Skipjack Island
Harbor seals on Skipjack Island
Fun sailing adventure in the San Juan Islands
Bare Island and Skipjack Island
Great blue heron coming in for a landing
Pt Doughty, Orcas Island
Sailing down the north coast of Orcas Island
Sailing down the north coast of Orcas Island
Bald eagle on Orcas Island
Sailing down the north coast of Orcas Island – Turtleback Mountain
Sailing down the north coast of Orcas Island
Historic Lime Kiln on Orcas Island
Bald eagle nest on Orcas Island
Route map 729/23