Southern British Columbia & Friday Harbor
We awoke this morning to a fiery sunrise over the distant cityscape of Vancouver, British Columbia. While stunning and gorgeous, it also welcomed us back into civilization.
After a fantastic voyage down the complete length of the inside passage, our morning spent cruising south allowed for reflection on what we had experienced. Numerous bears, stunning scenery, lush forests, vibrant native cultures, and abundant marine mammals were certainly highlights of this voyage. Whales were high on many people’s lists of things to see, and on this trip we had excellent encounters with humpback and killer whales.
Today we were treated to two presentations, the first by one of the top whale photographers in the world and the second by one of the leading whale researchers in the world. First, Flip Nicklin shared his story of being “Among Giants.” Tracing his life as a photographer for National Geographic, Flip wowed us with some of the most incredible photos of whales ever taken and the somewhat hilarious stories that accompany them.
After lunch, Ken Balcomb joined us for a casual discussion of his research on San Juan and worldwide. An early pioneer in killer whale research here, he gave us many insights into the complex society of the southern resident population. He also discussed his work with many sensitive subjects, including SONAR and strandings. What a treat to be able to enjoy these two presentations by world leading experts about animals we experienced on this voyage!
The afternoon was spent acclimating ourselves to civilization in the small town of Friday Harbor. We then headed out to end the day much like it began.
A fiery sunset over Vancouver Island with glassy smooth waters was a fitting end to this voyage. Porpoise passed across the bow while numerous seabirds surrounded us as we headed south towards Seattle.
