Saturday, June 13th
Today we went sightseeing up to the Patos Lighthouse on Patos Island, the furthest northern island of the San Juans. At the tip of the island, there were tremendous riptides, and easily a hundred or more harbor porpoise. They were everywhere! We watched them for awhile, and once again set off to see the eagles nest, hoping to see the chick again. On Clements Reef we watched the harbor seals, and there were two oystercatchers on the reef. A tour through Echo Bay brought us another beautiful sightseeing tour. The Orcas have been gone for a bit now, more than likely out west beyond the reach of any whale watching boat. When we set out in the morning, we never know if they might have come back in overnight. They can travel a hundred miles or more in a day. The San Juan Islands has always been the summer home for all three pods. However, the past few years, the sightings are sometimes spotty. This is probably due to the lack of salmon, which is their primary food. Once the salmon numbers start to increase in the islands as the summer progresses, they will be here feeding. But it is anyone’s guess when that will be. Meanwhile, we’ll look at other wildlife and enjoy the scenery.
Eagle's Nest
Patos Lighthouse on Patos Island