The lift bridge...
Condos lining the waterway to the harbor...
Lots of great views of the activity on the water. And there is always activity on the water here: Coho, providing ferry service between Port Angeles and Victoria...
A never-ending stream of float planes...
The wind was predicted to be out of the northwest, which would put us in the protection of Vancouver Island until we get to Haro Strait. Yeah, that was wrong. As we got to the opening of the harbor, we could see the lumpy water... the wind was out of the southwest, giving the waves plenty of fetch to stack up. Fortunately, the wind was light enough, but the waves were a steady 3 foot and sloppy.
By the time we got to Haro Strait, the waves were occasionally 5 foot; I had to slow down, but the wave action was quartering our stern, so moving just off our direction. We were still making 13 knots.
We could see some fog ahead, but it appeared to be further than San Juan Island. I worked the throttle to keep the bow from sticking in. Wild Blue just kept chugging along. Five miles from Cattle Pass, I could see flatter water ahead.
I also saw something else...
"Dorsal fins, 2 o'clock!" Even when I'm not working, I can't help but notice.
Joan said, "Are you sure you aren't just seeing waves?"
I said, "Two females at 2 o'clock, and more ahead where the water flattens."
"I don't see them."
"Keep looking."
A link to a short video as the water calmed: video here
It was amazing how fast the water went from lumpy to almost flat... the tide was changing. And, there in the flat water...
Joan took the camera into the cockpit for the shot above and this one...
I pulled the throttle back so we could enjoy the animals. Not another boat in sight. I had my phone turned off while we were in Canada, I called into the office and gave them the location.
"You aren't working," Joan reminded me.
"No, but if I were, I'd sure like to know where to start looking."
When the Orcas passed, we headed through the nearly flat Cattle Pass, up San Juan Channel, and back to Friday Harbor. It was mostly cloudy when we left Victoria, but mostly clear here.
Customs cleared us by phone. Easy.
We waited patiently while two boats kept the pump out dock tied up (no body was pumping, one was waiting for a crew member, the other guy sauntered up to the dumpster and walked even slower coming back). We pumped out and moved back into our slip. Home sweet home.
I had just started hosing down the boat (plenty of salt spray on her from the ride today) when I heard my phone ring inside the boat. Joan answered it... I heard her say, "Just a minute, I'll check with him..." Then she opened the window and said to me, "It's the office. Can you go in right away? They have a trip pending on Kittiwake, but they need a captain."
"Yep, I'll just need to change clothes." Joan told 'em and started packing something for me to eat on the boat... we were kinda thinking a leisurely late lunch out... not gonna happen.
I found out the details when I got to the office: a family had chartered a float plane to get to Friday Harbor and wanted to do a whale watch trip. They had the whole boat.
I prepped the boat while I briefed a first mate. Caitlin is sharp and was ready to roll at boarding time. I greeted the guests, a nice family from Mississippi, did a safety talk while we waited for the ferry to pull out, rotate, then pull back in, then headed out just before Victoria Clipper III got to the dock (creating lots of prop wash)... timing.
I got updated info as we headed out, then turned south for my second run through Cattle Pass for the day. The whales had moved north from where we left 'em, and the water was going to be lumpy. I let the guests know that the ride would be "sporting."
We got out to the whales in about 45 minutes... yep, they were moving north, so we had to run out to set up for a good view. Yep, the wave action was not pleasant. On the bright side, the guests got to see Orcas. Blackberry made a close pass - that big dorsal fin is impressive. No, I don't have any photos, I left my camera in our boat. It was a good show.
On the not so bright side, a couple of the guests got a little green from the lumpy ride. The first mate kept me up to date on how they were doing, and together we decided when they had seen enough. I found them some calm water with a view of a couple eagles, then back to Friday Harbor.
I was one tired boy when I got back to our boat... Joan said, "Take your clothes off."
"OK, I guess I'm not that tired!"
"No, I've been holding off on doing laundry until you got back. I need to wash those clothes."
Bless her heart. She has to work tomorrow, I don't. Before this trip came up, she was going to do laundry while I cleaned the boat. She cleaned up inside, I'll get the outside done tomorrow. I figured I'd be doing laundry. She is my hero. ;-)
Yep, back to the real world.
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