With a wedding party of 35 split between M/V Sea Hawk and M/V Kittiwake, we cruised around Henry Island, Speiden Island, the Cactus Island, and John's island in search of wildlife. We were astounded with the number of Bald Eagles we spotted, an all too appropriate find for a new couple that will be together for life, just like Bald Eagles. The scientist in me however, couldn't possibly leave out the fact that Eagles will split up to find a more compatible mate for themselves in the event that they're not having successful offspring with their current mate.
By the time we rounded Stuart island, we got a report of Dall's porpoise in Haro Straight, and raced off to find them. These are the fastest marine mammals in the world, able to reach up to 36 miles per hour. They're also very well-known for a behavior called bow-riding, in which they'll take advantage of the pressure wave generated in front of a fast-moving boat, and are able to move incredibly fast without exerting almost any energy at all. This is observed in a few different species of dolphins and porpoises, but is always a treat to observe. just minutes after we arrived on scene, the Dall's bee-lined for our moving vessel and in a flash were moving along just feet below us on the bow wave. There are a few different theories as to why they do this, but the one that seems to make the most sense is for sheer playful enjoyment. All I know for sure is that guests (myself included) enjoyed watching.
Naturalist Alex
M/V Sea Hawk