Jordan | August 13, 2018 | M/V Sea Hawk | 2:00 trip
What a lovely day out on the water! The surrounding area seemed even more mystical and beautiful as a hazy fog surrounded us and blocked out the mountains on the horizon. A bright red sun shone through the clouds and made everything glow a fiery orange colour.
Luckily the water was really calm as we trekked through the islands towards the promise of wildlife. Captain Erick and I headed out of Roche Harbor and traveled beneath Spieden Island and south down the San Juan Channel. We then passed south of Lopez Island and into the Rosario Strait off the mouth of Deception Pass. We could barely see the bridge that connected Fidalgo and Whidbey Island behind the fog.
Here we found our orca whales! We found the T65As, a lovely family of Bigg’s (transient) orca whales swimming incredibly slowly against the current, headed south. They were only traveling about 2 knots! We watched them swimming and diving and enjoying their existence as massive, top predators of the sea. They are truly quite extraordinary animals that we are lucky to have in and out of this area all year round! Eventually, since it was already and extra long journey to the whales, we had to return home.
On the way back, we stopped by Whale Rocks to watch a group of huge sea lions clamber around the land. It’s always wonderful to watch these enormous chunky animals bark at each other and swim with their noses sniffing the air!
We also stopped a saw an amazing bald eagle sitting at the very tip of a huge boulder in the water! He posed perfectly for the guests with his bright white head glowing in the weird lighting.
The weather got even more strange and wonderful as the sun began to set and it cast shadows everywhere, making it seem like a dream. We finally made it back to Roche Harbor, content with the days findings!