September 10, 2022 – With wildfires all around and smokey skies the lighting conditions created a rather interesting scene. The sun looked neon pink and created pink reflections on the water. We headed south out towards Cattle Pass finding a large pod of harbor porpoise in San Juan Channel. There were many harbor seals resting near Deadman Island while a bald eagle watched from the dead tree top. Steller sea lions were gathered on Whale Rocks and a great blue heron stood nearby on the bull kelp. As we were headed out to a minke whale near MacArthur Bank one of our passengers spotted a minke whale much closer by Iceberg Point. The minke was a bit tricky at first keeping track of it, but then it went into a travel pattern heading south also towards MacArthur Bank. We sailed alongside and paced the minke whale getting some beautiful views of the whale.
Sailing wing on wing
Raccoon on Turn Island
Harbor porpoise
Lopez coastline
Deadman Island
Sailing in the gap by Deadman Island
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Zonked out harbor seal
Harbor seals by Deadman Island
Purple ochre sea star
Bald eagle overlooking Deadman Island
Great blue heron on kelp bed
Lone harbor seal
Cormorants and sail boat
Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks
Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks with entanglement scar/injury
Sleeping sea lion
Great blue heron on kelp bed
Minke whale surfacing
Minke whale surfacing
Minke whale surfacing
Common murres
Minke whale traveling on MacArthur Bank with smokey skies
Minke whale traveling on MacArthur Bank
Our awesome passengers today
Our awesome passengers today
Minke whale traveling on MacArthur Bank
Minke whale traveling on MacArthur Bank
Cormorants
Our awesome passengers today
Route map 9-10-22