June 15, 2024 – Today we had an extended half day sail to go see a very special humpback known as BCY0324 “Big Mama”. She was wrapping around Stuart Island from Boundary Pass and traveling south in Haro Strait. While enroute we cut through New Channel and hugged the north shore of Spieden Island. There were many bald eagles engaged in eating a dead harbor seal on the coastline. We heard a Peregrine falcon calling and take flight after a bald eagle took off flying from a nearby tree. The falcon landed on a tree branch with a bird it had caught and was pulling out the feathers. It transferred the bird to its talons and flew to a spot on the cliff where it had two chicks! A very exciting sighting for us. Despite a few rain showers during the day it was a spectacular sail.
Black oystercatcher on Low Island
Black oystercatchers on Low Island
Black oystercatcher on Low Island
Family sailing adventure
North side of Spieden Island
Spieden Island Bluff
Peregrine falcon calling from Spieden Island
Peregrine falcon with bird in beak on Spieden Island
Peregrine falcon feeding bird to chick, Spieden Island
Peregrine falcon chick, Spieden Island
Peregrine falcon with chick, Spieden Island
Peregrine falcon flying, Spieden Island
Bald eagle engaged in eating dead harbor seal, Spieden Island
Bald eagles engaged in eating dead harbor seal, Spieden Island
Bald eagles flying around by Spieden Island
Bald eagles flying around by Spieden Island
Bald eagles flying around by Spieden Island
Bald eagles flying around by Spieden Island
Bald eagles flying around by Spieden Island
Bald eagle, Spieden Island
Bald eagles flying around by Spieden Island
Bald eagle engaged in eating dead harbor seal, Spieden Island
Mandarte and Halibut Islands
Distant rain showers
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama”
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama”
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama”
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” southbound Haro Strait
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” southbound Haro Strait
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” southbound Haro Strait
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” southbound Haro Strait
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” tail flukes
Humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” tail flukes
Route map 6/15/24