April 24, 2024 – Today we circumnavigated Spieden and Stuart Islands and saw some amazing wildlife. Unfortunately, orcas (T65 and T63) vanished before we got on scene south of Turn Pt Lighthouse, so we looped around Stuart Island incase they flipped direction, but we couldn’t find them. As we came sailing out of John’s Pass we spotted a young, small humpback whale in Haro Strait. Other cool wildlife sightings included harbor porpoise, harbor seals, bald eagles, Steller sea lions and a California sea lion, Bonaparte’s gulls, a Peregrine falcon, black oystercatchers, belted kingfishers, harlequin ducks and a purple ochre sea star… A fantastic day!
Route map 4/24/24
Harbor porpoise
Sailing along San Juan Island coastline
Harbor seals hauled out by Wasp Islands
Harbor seals hauled out by Wasp Islands
Black oystercatcher
Wildflowers on Yellow Island
Birds flying in V formation
Bald eagle
Sentinel and Spieden Islands
Steller sea lions at Green Point, Spieden Island (note branded sea lion)
Steller sea lion asleep with California sea lion upright
Steller sea lions at Green Point, Spieden Island
Steller sea lions at Green Point, Spieden Island
Harbor seal
Bonaparte’s gulls in Spieden Channel
Bonaparte’s gulls in Spieden Channel
Bonaparte’s gulls in Spieden Channel
Garry oak trees on Spieden Island
Steller sea lion swimming in New Channel
Purple (ochre) sea star
Harbor seal
Spieden Island bluff
Peregrine falcon
Belted kingfisher
Turn Pt Lighthouse and Lovers Leap
Bald eagle nest on Stuart Island
Bald eagle on bald eagle statue
Close hauled sail coming out of John’s Pass
Juvenile humpback whale in Haro Strait
Juvenile humpback whale in Haro Strait
Looking west towards Sidney, BC, from Haro Strait
Harlequin ducks