Finally, a morning without fog!  Yippee!  But are the whales?  We pull out of the dock right on time and head south as that was where the whales were last night.  On our way we notice two fledgling Eagle chicks, as they perch on the edge of their nest,  an adult Bald eagle near by.  Harbor seal pup heads dot the water off Goose Island.  Once into Haro Strait we stop to scan the water.  News comes in that the whales are out of our range and we hope they will continue in our direction.  Suddenly a Steller sealion surfaces carrying a huge Skate in his mouth!  He swims around the boat and tears the Skate into pieces with his powerful jaws.  Then a Minke whale surfaces in the distance.  We watch for a long time as the whale surfaces near big congregations of birds and finally makes a lunge right through the birds!  Bird for breakfast anyone?  Another Steller pops up off the stern and a few Harbor seals glide by.  The Orca whales remain out of our range this morning, but we find more Harbor seals on rocky shores and another adult Bald eagle as we motor back to Friday Harbor.  What an incredible morning!

Our hope for the afternoon is high.  The tide is about to turn to a flood and that might sweep the Southern Resident Orca into our range.  As we head out of Friday Harbor, with news that the whales are inching our way,  Captain Pete decides on the long run toward Victoria.  No stops to scan for Minke whales this afternoon, but with flat water and sunshine we head across Haro Strait.  Finally, the black fins and blows appear as small dots on the horizon.  We watch Grace and Wavewalker and Gaia slip silently through the Strait of Juan de Fuca waters.  Then to the shoreside we spot many, many J,K and L whales…as they head toward San Juan Island.  Mystery solved…and…the whales we found off to the port side of the boat?  Mystery and Alexis, two L pod whales!

~Nan