Today was a day you could not beat here in the San Juan Islands. The sky was clear, the weather warm (for the Pacific Northwest) and the water was calm. No one could seem to find orcas (remember, the world's largest dolphin) or whales today, but we had a lovely cruise around the San Juan and the Canadian Gulf Islands. There were harbor seals, Steller's sea lions and harbor porpoises stretched to the horizon. At boiling reef, which was rather odoriferous today, there were dozens of surf scoters. An oceanic duck-like bird with a black body, a big white spot on the back of it's neck and a colorful orange beak. They all took flight as we slid up to the reef, but they did not go far. Settling just on the other side of the seals and sea lions to continue their feeding in the current lines that we could clearly see running along the surface of the water. At Java Rocks we found the same eagle (maybe) that we saw two days ago. It was still assessing its realm and terrifying the other feathered wildlife.
Ashley, Capt. Craig and I were fortunate to be out on a day like this with such a terrific group of guests. The M/V Sea Lion definitely seems to be happy to be out of it's slip and Capt. Mike and Lauren on the M/V Kittiwake did a great job of tagging along behind us on our travels. There is no place better than the San Juan Islands in spring. So, from all of us at San Juan Safaris, to all of you suffering from wanderlust, thank you and we will...
See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist