All Aboard Sailing

Minke Whale on Salmon Bank

August 5, 2023 – We went south today after leaving Friday Harbor. As we sailed through the narrow channel behind Turn Island we spotted many harbor seals resting on the rocks. Since it was a flooding current we swooped inside of Griffin Bay to find a back eddie as we went south in San Juan Channel. The cormorants on Goose Island were sitting on their nests and the gull chicks have gotten so much bigger. On Salmon Bank we had a great encounter with a minke whale nicknamed as “Stubbs”. It was foraging with some lunging in bait balls as birds circled around. We had some fantastic views. Next we popped by to see the Steller sea lion colony at Whale Rocks before checking out a bald eagle and more harbor seals by Deadman Island. We rode the fast current up the channel as we made our way back to Friday Harbor

Route map 8/5/23

Turn Island State Park

Harbor seals south of Turn Island

Harbor seals south of Turn Island

Harbor seals by Danger Rock

Harbor seals by Danger Rock

Bald eagle chick by Goose Island

Adult bald eagle near chick by Goose Island

Harbor seals on the beach of Goose Island

Harbor seals on the beach of Goose Island with Cattle Pt Lighthouse

Cormorants on Goose Island

Gulls with growing chicks on Goose Island

Cormorants on Salmon Bank marker

Minke whale on Salmon Bank with Olympic Mountains

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Minke whale on Salmon Bank with Olympic Mountains

Minke whale surfacing

Minke whale surfacing

Minke whale surfacing

Minke whale surfacing

Sailing whale watching minke whales

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Minke whale dorsal fin and rhinoceros auklet

Minke whale foraging on Salmon Bank

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Minke whale foraging on Salmon Bank

Minke whale foraging on Salmon Bank

Minke whale on Salmon Bank

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks

Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks

Bald eagle overlooking Deadman Island

Bald eagle flying overhead

Goose Island and Cattle Pass

Sailing up San Juan Channel

Sailing San Juan Islands

Sailing by Turn Island, San Juan Islands

Rhinoceros auklet with fish in beak