Sunshine and whales, is there anything else in this world like it? Captain Nancy and I had a small group with us on the MV Sea Lion today and they got the view that some of them had traveled far afield to see. Hailing from places like Philadelphia, Michigan and Malaysia, as well as good old Seattle, our passengers were treated to a lovely boat ride on calm seas to the waters just South of Point Roberts. There the whales were in their brightest white and shiniest black as they slowly cruised East.
With the sun out and the water like glass it made it very easy to track the whale's blows and see Ruffles' tall dorsal fin. The Orcas were spread over a large area between us and the distant shore, so we stayed with J1 "Ruffles" and a female who was most likely J2 "Granny". Their lazy stroll was intoxicating and had us all sighing with the warm sea breeze. A few tail lobs and pec slaps were seen, but mostly it was restful viewing of some magnificent animals.
On the way back to Friday Harbor we had fun viewing busy Harbor Porpoises at Boiling Reef, named for the way that the water surges and froths. The rough water is a mixing point and is abundant with food. The porpoises along with Rhinoceros Auklets and gulls were there to try to catch their fill of fish. At Jones Island State Park National Wildlife Refuge we found a pair of Bald Eagles sitting in the tops of two trees. They provided a good look at all of their colorations from feet to beaks.
Once again it was a beautiful day in the San Juan Islands and our group was enthusiastic and asked lots of good questions. It was a great trip as always. So, from all of us, thank you for choosing San Juan Safaris and we will...
See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist
Orca Whales and Wildlife Are Our Only Business. ©