Sunday, May 28th

It was an adventure out on the Orca Spirit this morning as some brisk winds made for an exhilarating ride. We travelled north this morning through the waters of Haro Strait to Spieden Island on the lookout for our southern residents. The exotic wildlife on Spieden Island was elusive this morning, but we did see an eagle soaring high over the beautiful island. Continuing our journey, we travelled next to Boundary Pass, where we first met up with J-pod yesterday. Although we did not find orcas, we were able to take in the magnificent scenery of the southern Gulf Islands and the historic Turn Point Lighthouse. Our next stop was Mandarte Island, where we saw both pelagic and double-crested cormorants. There seem to be an abundance of double-crested cormorants there this year, which is a good sign for this interesting sea bird. Our final stop of the tour was Sidney Island, where we examined a bald eagle nest. These structures have been known to reach sizes of 10 feet across and can weigh several tons! Although we did not see whales this morning, it was another enjoyable trip. Sightings of whales continue to increase, and we are eagerly awaiting the return of K and L pods.