October 7, 2023 Flood tide and a North wind gave us fun close hauled sail with the benefit of current to tack our way up to the Wasp Islands. We saw a black tailed deer on Shaw Island and a bald eagle roosting on a sign on Low Island. With a report of a Humpback whale Northbound at Lime Kiln we continued North and along the Southern shoreline of Spieden Island. Steller Sea lions were in the water near Green Point and the Garry Oak trees are changing colour. The Humpback hadn’t moved very far so we cut through Roche Harbor and Mosquito Pass. Clearing Lime Kiln Point we still hadn’t found the humpback so continued South. Apparently, it’s a small humpback whale that has been hanging out on the westside for several days and is hard to track. Seas were glassy with lovey views of the Olympic Mountains. A few Dalls Porpoise and a pair of bald eagles looked out over False Bay. Seller sea lions were fun to watch at Whale Rocks and we came home via Deadman Island in sunset light.
Black tailed deer
Mt Baker
Nob Island
Looking northwest to Sentinel Island from Nob Island
Harbor seal
Bald eagle on Low Island
Harbor seals on Low Island, San Juan Islands
Harbor seals on Low Island, San Juan Islands
Bald eagle on Low Island
Steller sea lions at Green Pt, Spieden Island
Garry Oak trees on Spieden Island
Bald eagle on Spieden Island
Sailing through Mosquito Pass
Lime Kiln Point State Park Lighthouse, San Juan Island
Pair of bald eagles on San Juan Island
Bald eagle on San Juan Island
Dalls Porpoise
Dalls Porpoise
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks with entanglement injury
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks with Olympic Mountains
Steller sea lions eating prey
Steller sea lions eating prey and gulls looking for scraps
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Steller sea lions at Whale Rocks, San Juan Islands
Black oystercatchers
Harbor seals at Deadman Island
Harbor seals at Deadman Island with Cattle Pt Lighthouse
Great blue heron standing on a bull kelp bed
Harbor seals and double crested cormorants at Shark Reef
Harbor seals at Shark Reef
Bald eagle, San Juan Islands
Harbor seals hauled out near Reef Pt, San Juan Island
Route map 10/7/23