The soporific voice of our Expedition Leader seeped quietly into our cabin at 7 minutes after 6 in the morning. “We are now off the coast of San Juan Island” he whispered “and are watching a pod of killer whales moving along the shoreline. Dress warmly and come on up on deck!” What a surprise! We knew when we left Vancouver yesterday evening that we were heading south to a favorite killer whale hangout, but not in our wildest dream did we believe that we would be so lucky so early.
The whales turned out to be J pod, about 20 strong, and frequent visitors to Lime Kiln Point. We watched them feed, cruise and breach for three hours under perfect conditions. By mid-morning we started north towards Alaska passing Mandarte Island, British Columbia, a bird colony of almost 2,000 pairs of gulls, with hundreds of pelagic and double-crested cormorant nests and scores of pigeon guillemots scooting back and forth. Black oystercatchers screeched from the shore.
After lunch we landed at Wallace Island. We split into those who went kayaking and others who walked the excellent trails. The landlubbers found some orchids and deadly mushrooms; the kayakers enjoyed the new found freedom of effortlessly sliding over the water past purple starfish and giant jellyfish.
At recap we recalled how the first day was such a great start, then enjoyed an excellent dinner and slept as we gently rocked our way north.
