7/7/2022
Helena
MV Osprey
12:30
We departed Friday Harbor for our Classic Tour at 12:30pm ready to explore all the Salish Sea has to offer! Our journey began by heading south down San Juan Channel, with San Juan Island to our starboard and Lopez to our port. We came into view of Cattle Point Lighthouse at the mouth of where the Channel meets the Haro Strait and the greater Strait of Juan de Fuca. This is one of my favorite views to see from the sea during our trip. First installed in 1888 as a simple lens-lantern mounted on a pole, Cattle Point Lighthouse was the first navigational aid for ships approaching the island. It is now automated, running on solar power, and stands at 34-feet as a beacon lighthouse.
Once through Cattle Pass, we entered into Salmon Bank and spotted our first cetacean of the day -- a Minke Whale! We watched as its dark gray sickle shaped dorsal fin zigged and zagged along the shallow shelf, lunge feeding on small bait fish.
We then turned north towards Whale Rocks where we encountered over a dozen Steller Sea Lions! These pinnipeds are the second largest sea lions in the entire world and we watched as they maneuvered themselves high on the rocks to warm up from our 47 degree waters.
As we continued back up San Juan Channel we encountered several Harbor Seals and a Bald Eagle positioned on Shark Reef off the shore of Lopez Island. But the wildlife did not end there! On our final leg of the tour home, we encountered a rare sight here in the Salish Sea -- a Sea Otter! We found this otter enjoying the robust Bull Kelp Forest off the eastern shore of San Juan Island as it floated on its back in that classic otter way, likely enjoying some sea urchin from the kelp below! Wow, what a fun and diverse day of wildlife out on the water!