Taking pictures of whales.

This is what my "whale" pictures usually look like, or like......

this (at least there is some action!). But on this particular day......

I managed to get this! And.......

this and.......

 this one and ......

this one!

Mind you, I took close to 100 pictures over about 30 minutes and most of them were of just plain water. It was the most amazing whale encounter we have had. We sat quietly and this whale was up and down feeding on herring all around us. Most of the time we could predict where he would come up because we could see his "bubble net". In one picture, you can see him with his mouth open, catching the herring as he broke the surface.

This is one of the reasons I love getting out on the boat.... these types of experiences you cannot get anywhere else.

Sooke Basin to.... Genoa Bay, Vancouver Island

Orca, one of many in a pod we passed in Juan de Fuca

Light house at Race Rocks, near Victoria

Sunday July 13
Depart: Sooke Basin 0745
Clear, winds 15-25 17 C
We are currently sailing just past Victoria Harbour. We are having a fantastic day for sailing, haven't had to put the motor on except to get out of Sooke. There are lots of boats of all kinds around this area, we have to watch we don't run into anyone! We are not used to that.
Arrive: Genoa Bay, Vancouver Island 1930 Lat: 48 45.74Lon: 123 35.88
Trip Log: 904.1 nm
Another great day for sailing, we saw 30 knots around Race Rocks, with some pretty big swells (that turned us around), but once we rounded the end of the island, the winds died down and the swells disappeared. We are looking forward to a short trip home tomorrow.

Exploring around Diana Island

These are some pictures I took while out in the dingy on Friday. We also saw some whales, I am not sure if they were humpbacks or greys, because they were not close enough and were not breaching or spyhopping where you can see their heads. But it was cool, nonetheless! I really enjoy seeing them. We found a cave (Jerry is standing on top of) and a little 'bonsai' tree, and lots of beautiful sandy beaches. All in all, it was a good day to hang around Barkley Sound.

Humpbacks in Lynn Canal

June 27, 2007
Time: 1050 Hrs: 899.5
Humidity: 67% Temp: 15 C Mostly sunny with a few scattered clouds. Winds SW 15-20 knots.
Lv: Auke Bay Marina
Course: Saginaw Channel > Lynn Canal > Icy Strait > Swanson Harbour
We are entering some of the best area for viewing humpbacks whales, and just a few miles outside Auke Bay we see a large (maybe 10 or 12) group feeding. The water is a little choppy, but I persist and manage to get one or two half decent pictures out of 70 that I took. We try to keep our distance because we don’t want to harass them. We round Point Retreat and put up the sails. The winds are finally perfect for good sailing. We spend the rest of the day tacking back and forth south through Lynn Canal towards Icy Strait. Charles, who is sleeping on top of the engine cover, does quite nicely once he figures out how to tack.
Arv: Swanson Harbour, Icy Strait
Lat: 58 12.74 N
Lon: 135 06.59 W
Time: 1645
Trip: 28.2 nm Log: 3467.3 nm
We are tied up to a public dock with another sailboat from Kodiak. The temperature is a nice 20 C with a very light wind, but not enough to keep the deer flies away. They are really terrible here but don’t bother you if you are dressed in black, so Jerry dons his black hoodie and heads out to BBQ the salmon for dinner.

Touring around Hobart Bay

June 21, 2007
Time: 0915 Hrs: 864.4
Humidity: 57% Temp: 17 C Partly cloudy.
Lv: Petersburg
Course: Frederick Sound > Stephens Passage > Hobart Bay
The wind is calm but we are hoping to pick up a little when we enter Stephens Passage. As we turn the corner past Cape Fanshaw we can see that the rain is coming up behind us, but ahead it is bright and sunny. We are on the lookout for Humpback whales today. And we do spot some but they are too far away to get a good picture. We also see a sea otter, and a bunch of sea lions fighting over a buoy.
Arv: Hobart Bay
Lat: 57 24.16 N
Lon: 133 26.42 W
Time: 1600
Trip: 38.0 nm Log: 3331.1 nm
This is in cozy little anchorage with a small public dock. We are the only ones when we tie up, but later a fishing boat anchors nearby and then another sailboat ties up behind us. They are from Vancouver, the first Canadian boat we have seen since Port Hardy. Today is the longest day of the year….. HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE!