Helena
7/10/2022
MV Kestrel
10am
MV Kestrel had a jam packed Saturday with wildlife everywhere we looked! We began our adventure heading south as we received some reports from other vessels south of Lopez Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. With the Olympics peeking out behind the clouds, we made it through Cattle Pass and out of the San Juan Channel. We quickly caught up with a pod of the mammal-eating ecotype of orca whale in the Salish Sea, Bigg's Killer Whales! On scene were members of the T65A's which include the head of the matriline, T065A ("Artemis"; b. 1986) and her five offspring:
- T065A2 (2004, Male)
- T065A3 (2007, Sex Unknown)
- T065A4 (2011, Female)
- T065A5 (2014, Male)
- T065A6 (2018, Female)
We watched as this family pod also traveled with some members of the T077's south in the direction of Port Townsend. It is such a thrill to see so many individuals of varying sizes traveling together!
Our next stop was a look at the south side of Smith Island where we spotted two Brown Pelicans and some Tufted Puffins floating on the edge of the Bull Kelp forest surrounding the shoreline. This was my first encounter with these puffins this season and I was elated!
The adventure back up into the San Juan Channel towards Friday Harbor only got busier! We spotted two Minke Whales lunge feeding along Salmon Bank on the southside of San Juan Island. At Whale Rocks we observed Stellar Sea Lions hauled out on the rocks, vocalising and sticking their noses high into the air.
The day ended with an encounter with a pair of Bald Eagles on the western shore of Lopez Island where we watched one individual swoop into the shallow water with its beak!
Yet another exciting day exploring the breathtaking diversity the Salish Sea has to offer!
