Jordan | M/V Kestrel | 05/14/2022 2:00pm
Thank you everyone for coming today! Our guests were such a lovely group of people eager for adventure and thirsty to learn.
The day began with Captain Eric and I greeting the group and heading out of Friday Harbor. Turning left, we headed out of the harbor and up towards Flat Top Island. This National Wildlife Refuge hosts a unique geology and plentiful wildlife. Today, we spotted a bald eagle perched in the treetops! He seemed to be searching for fish or some other bird to steal from.
We continued across the Canadian border and up towards South Pender Island. One of the most gorgeous sceneries in the gulf islands, we wound our way up towards Georgenson Pass and out into open waters, Vancouver far in the distance.
Here, we spotted two humpback blows! These massive 15-foot blows only proved that the animal beneath the surface must be so much larger. In fact, humpbacks average around 45 feet long. They were most likely feeding as hundreds of scoters swarmed the area! It was so fun to see their colorful beaks and shiny black bodies flying around, bobbing on the water and dipping under to grab fish. I’ve personally, never seen a sight like that!
The humpbacks were eager to surface and had short dive times so we got some good looks at their impressive bodies and tails. They were identified as Zig-Zag and Olympus! If you look at their tails, it serves as a fingerprint to track them on their migration.
Then suddenly, they popped up right next to the boat and started swimming towards us! We shut off the boat and bobbed along as they dove beneath our vessel! You could see their nostrils and shimmery blubber and even some barnacles. Wow.
Eventually, we said our goodbyes and headed back towards home. Winding towards Orcas Island, past Point Disney off of Waldron and finally back to the harbor.
What a great trip.