San Juan Islands & Gulf Islands, 10/17/2019, National Geographic Venture
Aboard the
National Geographic Venture
Pacific Northwest
Today we awoke dockside in the port of the small town of
Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. San Juan Island is the second largest island
in the archipelago, and is enjoyed for its beautiful scenery and marine and
terrestrial wildlife.
Tours of the island took guests to San Juan Island National
Historic Park and Lime Kiln State Park, where they explored some of the most
scenic overlooks in the Salish Sea on foot. Others visited a biodynamic organic
farm and learned how locals take sustainability into their own hands by eating
locally.
In the afternoon we cruised through the San Juan/Gulf Island
Archipelago spotting wildlife and enjoying the intermittent showers.
Katie Mo started her career as a naturalist on Catalina Island where she taught marine science outdoor education and SCUBA diving. Her passion for conservation biology then led her to pursue a Masters degree in marine science at Western Washington Un...
"Waking Up with Dolphins" Coffee brewed; eggs digested Feeling strong and well rested Out on deck, binoculars keen Ocean surface a gleaming sheen Sudden shock, twisting neck Someone yells, what the heck?! Graceful swimming, gentle spouts Lots of smiles and gleeful shouts Tall black fins, soft white back To share what they know is what I lack A family of orca is sharing our morning The sun is shining, and my spirits are soaring Cameras shutter, some stand with a look of stun This ocean family has a young one! What a way to start the day Bon voyage little family, be on your merry way!
We concluded our expedition in the Pacific Northwest by exploring picturesque Sucia Island, one of the many islands that make up the San Juan Archipelago. Comprised entirely of sedimentary rock and nearly entirely forested, it provided a perfect setting for our last operations of the week. Setting out in almost all directions on the well-manicured trails of this State Park, and from the driftwood strewn beach, we launched our kayaks in the protected waters of Shallow Bay. Still others set out by Zodiac to examine the many nooks and crannies of the shoreline and witness the current and windswept seas bringing productivity to the fish and birds that call these waters home. After wrapping up our morning outings we set out in search of wildlife, cruising the many channels that wind their way through the various islands in the Salish Sea. As luck would have it, we came across a group of 9 Biggs (transient) killer whales. These largest members of the dolphin family are common in these waters but are constantly on the move in search of prey such as harbor seals, porpoises, and Steller sea lions. It would appear this tight-knit family group had just recently made a kill as they were being very playful at times, breaching, tail lobbing, and spy hopping, as well as rolling along the surface in close contact with each other, likely portioning their recent kill. It was a truly grand performance and an iconic and fitting conclusion to our expedition in this rich and diverse area of the world.
