Sucia Island to Victoria, B.C.
The day dawned gray in the northern San Juan Islands. Sea Bird slowed and the anchor touched down at Fossil Cove, Sucia Island. One of our guests has especially fond memories from the times she and her husband sailed to Sucia Island many decades ago. In those days, they always had the place to themselves. As the Zodiac neared shore this morning, she shared this with us that she came here for her honeymoon in 1942. She stepped onto shore, reminiscing about hiking the surrounding hills 65 years earlier. What precious memories... what a beautiful smile she shared with us.
While some of us walked along trails, kayakers explored the shoreline. Tide was low, and numerous ochre sea stars, bright purple in color, clung to the rocks. Where there were ledges, anemones drooped from the ceilings, waiting for tide’s return. A family of river otters swam, dove, then climbed onto shore, scampering over boulders and logs. Harbor seals swam at the mouth of the protected cove.
Our afternoon was devoted to finding whales. As the ship made her way towards likely ‘whale waters,’ Ben Schwantes gave a presentation about the interesting history of this region along the U.S.-Canada border. As the afternoon progressed, we passed many harbor porpoises and some Dall’s porpoises, likely feeding in these rich waters. One harbor seal surfaced just a few feet from our bow, an enormous salmon in its mouth.
The ship cruised over calm waters, weaving among scenic islands. Just offshore from Victoria, B.C., we saw killer whales! There were several small groups of whales, and as they swam towards the harbor entrance, we watched them with Victoria’s skyline and Mt. Baker as backdrops. Judging from the group’s size, we judged them to be fish-eating, resident killer whales. Early evening’s light was beautiful as the sun lowered and the full moon rose.
After dinner and Canadian custom’s formalities, many of us strolled past outdoor musicians and the beautiful Parliament building, which was outlined by small white lights. A slender young woman rollerbladed past the Empress Hotel pulled along by a tiny, energetic dog. I wonder what other images I will hold dear from this week.
The day dawned gray in the northern San Juan Islands. Sea Bird slowed and the anchor touched down at Fossil Cove, Sucia Island. One of our guests has especially fond memories from the times she and her husband sailed to Sucia Island many decades ago. In those days, they always had the place to themselves. As the Zodiac neared shore this morning, she shared this with us that she came here for her honeymoon in 1942. She stepped onto shore, reminiscing about hiking the surrounding hills 65 years earlier. What precious memories... what a beautiful smile she shared with us.
While some of us walked along trails, kayakers explored the shoreline. Tide was low, and numerous ochre sea stars, bright purple in color, clung to the rocks. Where there were ledges, anemones drooped from the ceilings, waiting for tide’s return. A family of river otters swam, dove, then climbed onto shore, scampering over boulders and logs. Harbor seals swam at the mouth of the protected cove.
Our afternoon was devoted to finding whales. As the ship made her way towards likely ‘whale waters,’ Ben Schwantes gave a presentation about the interesting history of this region along the U.S.-Canada border. As the afternoon progressed, we passed many harbor porpoises and some Dall’s porpoises, likely feeding in these rich waters. One harbor seal surfaced just a few feet from our bow, an enormous salmon in its mouth.
The ship cruised over calm waters, weaving among scenic islands. Just offshore from Victoria, B.C., we saw killer whales! There were several small groups of whales, and as they swam towards the harbor entrance, we watched them with Victoria’s skyline and Mt. Baker as backdrops. Judging from the group’s size, we judged them to be fish-eating, resident killer whales. Early evening’s light was beautiful as the sun lowered and the full moon rose.
After dinner and Canadian custom’s formalities, many of us strolled past outdoor musicians and the beautiful Parliament building, which was outlined by small white lights. A slender young woman rollerbladed past the Empress Hotel pulled along by a tiny, energetic dog. I wonder what other images I will hold dear from this week.
