Logan Stecker | M/V Kestrel | July 9th of 2025 | 14:00
Wind, waves, and dreary weather lifted almost instantly after leaving Friday harbor for a day of glorious wildlife searching.
Avoiding dreadful waves to the south, we went north toward the Pender islands and into Canada.
Along the way we watched many a bald eagle greets us along the northern shore of Spieden. These Eagles kept our spirits high as we went, flying tree to tree.
Our first point of interest was the Turn Point Lighthouse, the most Northwestern point of the lower 48, where we entered Canada.
At the northern tip of Prevost Island, we came onto the scene we expected to find whales, but all the other vessels had left… It was up to us to be the sole lookout. After a little waiting, she emerged! Mother and calf Humpbacks joined our evening, and we spent the next 45 mins enjoying their presence just us and them.
We took a new way back to the harbor for Captain Vaun and me, navigating between Mayne and Saturna to discover dazzling honeycomb structures. This beautiful form of erosion in the sandstone is caused by the salt of sea water weathering the sediment into wonderful shapes as it expands when drying. This honeycombing makes unique micro-habitat for a diversity of algae, mosses, and lichen and even creates nesting structures for many birds including swallows and potentially seabirds.
Many seal pups popped out in and near the water at White Rocks. One pup in particular who was cream colored and in a banana pose (laying with head and tail up looking to its side in a banana shape) became a favorite of our boat today. The rocks continue to live up to their name each visit as bird urate (excrement) covers more of it until the winter storms can wash it off.
What a beautiful adventure.