Logan Stecker | Kestrel |16th of July 2025 | 1400
Today was a great day for seals! So many pups being as cute as possible all throughout our voyage. And as hoped for, a great day for whales as well!
Stop 1: Spieden Island
Driving along Spieden, we located multiple Bald Eagles near a large nest in an isolated patch of trees near the shore. This barren island has been shaped by winter stores making the south shore a yellow grassland with a few rugged trees. At the end of this island, we stopped for harbor seals sitting at Sentinel Island being cute (also a Black Oystercatcher eyeing us from the rock).
Stop 2: Stuart Island
Searching around Stuart led to a beautiful view of Turn Point lighthouse (the most Northwest corner of the lower 48 states) backdropped by Mount Baker in full glory. We then navigated back through John’s Passage to Spieden again to follow a group of Transient Killer Whales—the T065Bs. It was great to see “Chunk” and her kids mosey about the waters here not necessarily in a hurry to be anywhere but also keeping us on their toes for where they would pop up.
Stop 3: White Rocks
On our way back to Friday Harbor, we took a trip out to White Rocks. More Glaucous-Winged Gulls and urate covered it than my last visit but also this time there were dozens of harbor seals! And so many pups too! Some even in the banana pose with their head and tail up while they lay. There was a great assemblage of different fur colors in this group representing diversity in adaptation to camouflaging along the variety of igneous and sedimentary rocks making up the island shores. There was another Black Oystercatcher here too.
Such an exciting day! Great to beat the heat out on the water as well!