The orcas and humpbacks were conspiring against us today. They were all 20 miles or more from Friday Harbor and were heading further west. Not a good combination for a successful whale watching tour. Luckily for us the minke whale were cooperating, so we went and spent time with them. Afterward we had a lovely cruise around Lopez Island, where we visited quiet coves and glassy waterways all chock-a-block full of seabirds. All of this was just what the cruise director ordered since People for Puget Sound had chartered the boat for the afternoon and they see this area as a whole, not just the sum of its charismatic megafauna (big, impressive mammals). So, rather than bore you with the wordy details, here is a sample photo collection of the kinds of creatures that we watched today.
Minke Whale with notched fin. Photo courtesy of Northeast Pacific Minke Whale Project
Red-necked Grebe. Photo courtesy of G. S. Schneider Photography
Marbled Murrelet. Photo courtesy of 91middleschoolsciences.wikispaces.com
Watmough Bay, Lopez Island. Photo courtesy of Mariusstrom
So, from all of us at San Juan Safaris, to all of you who support the wildlife and wild places of this land, thank you and we will...
See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist