Erin | M/V Sea Hawk | Saturday, May 25, 2019| 12:00 PM
Today was a rainy day, but that sure did not stop us from seeing amazing wildlife. We began our trip heading north out of Roche Harbor, heading toward Pender Island, as we got some reports of orcas in that area. On our way out of the harbor, we saw harbor seals up at the surface! As we were travelling, we got sights on a humpback whale that was by itself. We stopped to watch the humpback whale, and it had a fairly predictable dive pattern. It would come up to the surface, take 1-3 breaths, and head down for a 2-5 minute dive. It kept us on our toes, surfacing in different directions every time it came back up. We got some good looks at the whale, and then we continued in the direction of the orca report.
When we arrived to the area that the orcas were in, they had just gone down for a dive. We didn't know where they would surface, so we kept our distance to assess the situation. They came up in synchrony, and everyone was elated! There were 6 orcas, and they were T65A and all of her offspring. There were two males in the pod, and they seemed to be "sprouting" their tall, 6 foot dorsal fins. The whales had a zigzagging pattern as they dove and resurfaced, but we kept sight of them and enjoyed every moment.
On our way home, we went on the north side of Spieden Island and saw two bald eagles. One was resting in the treetops, and the other was in flight amongst a few turkey vultures. We then went to the south-facing side of Spieden Island and saw mouflon sheep and fallow deer. They were a treat to see! Then we headed back to Roche Harbor to complete our full day of wildlife viewing. That's all for now, folks. Have a nice Memorial Day weekend!
Naturalist Erin