Half day sail down to Salmon Bank

August 23, 2020 – Finding wind outside the harbor we raised sails for a beam reach to Turn Island and then wing on wing through Turn Island Pass. We were able to see many harbor seals hauled out resting and warming on the reefs leading to Danger Rock. The fast ebb current of the new moon helped us sail across to the Lopez side of San Juan Channel where we followed the coastline down to Sharks Reef and Deadman Island. Taking the narrow pass gave us a very special view of the low tide shoreline with harbor seals and black oystercatchers.

The ebb current helped carry us out to Whale Rocks where Steller’s sea lions were hauled out alongside a rare Brown Pelican. Circling the rocks the current again pulled us along to Long Island where the quick moving waters became idyllic with the glassy surface reflecting the colors of the Island.

As we rounded Long Island we heard a report of a minke whale at salmon bank and we motor sailed quickly out to the bank. A couple of distant sightings in which the whale appeared to be traveling and then disappeared. We moved on to a group of Dall’s porpoise which also disappeared just before we arrived. So we circled Salmon Bank where there were some large gatherings of birds feeding on bait balls but surprisingly no Minke whales joined the party today.

We returned to Cattle Point Lighthouse and Goose Island cormorant rookery. The gull new chicks are becoming bigger balls of fluffy feathers and a number of harbor seals rested on the beach. We circled on hearing a bald eagle with an eagle chick who called out as we passed. And the current now in flood gave us a fun sail back to Friday Harbor.