The peak...

No mountain climbing.  We are in the middle of the busiest time of the summer season: boats are full, early trips, late trips, lengthy water taxis... it was nice to have a couple days off together last week, 'cause we won't see that again for a while.

On our trip yesterday afternoon, we were the 5th boat on the scene with the whales.  The Orcas were moving at about 6 knots, so the boats were driving parallel to their path.  With each passing minute, more boats arrived on the scene.  Within a half hour, it was as crowded as I've ever seen it - at least 30 commercial boats, and a bunch of private boats.  To add to the fun, NOAA and the WDFW were on the scene... and, they were boarding boats.  The Sound Watch boat couldn't get around fast enough to warn off private boaters who were getting too close and cutting in front of other boats.  Putting it mildly, it was a bit of a madhouse.

The guests on our boat groaned loudly when a private boater ran right up to the whales.  We explain the laws to the guests, so they understand the distances and the speeds we are allowed.  The NOAA boat couldn't even approach this particular boat until the whales moved away... it made my heart hurt a bit, because the offender was in a C-Dory.

We departed the pack, and headed south.  I heard the NOAA boat thank the commercial operators on the radio for working together with the crowds.  On the way south, we found a Minke whale for the guests to view... and only one other boat even in sight.  Cattle Pass was kicking up to about 3 foot waves as we came back in, but we were treated to a great view with two large Stellar Sea Lions hauled out.  We stopped to view an active group of harbor porpoise in San Juan Channel.

Coming into Friday Harbor, there was a large group of sailboats, clustered at the finish line for the Around Shaw Race.  I let the guests know that we wouldn't be running through the middle of their finish, and came into the harbor via "the back way."

In spite of the crowds, it was a very nice day on the water.